SpongeScapes: Evidence and Solutions for improving SPONGE Functioning at LandSCAPE Scale in European Catchments for increased Resilience of Communities against Hydrometeorological Extreme Events

Rising climate challenges have triggered a crisis: the rapid decline in soil, groundwater and surface water’s sponge-like ability to mitigate extreme hydrological events. In this context, the SpongeScapes project aims to consolidate, expand and disseminate scientific knowledge to improve the sponge function of soil, groundwater and surface water systems to accelerate the appropriation by all stakeholders. SpongeScapes will contribute to enhancing climate resilience against hydrological extremes at landscape scale: We will review and demonstrate the effectiveness of solutions in 140 existing cases, further detail process understanding in individual case studies, and upscale this knowledge together with stakeholders by co-designing sponge strategies on landscape scale.

The working group of Landscape Planning and Ecosystem Services is responsible for leading a work package on “Co-assessing sponge strategies and enabling environments”. The objective of the work package is to develop and deploy a transdisciplinary approach to design and assess sponge strategies and enabling environments together with local, regional and national stake- and knowledge holders through stakeholder workshops and SpongeLabs. Methods include Geodesign to co-generate and explore sponge landscape scenarios and futures.

Project website: www.spongescapes.eu