Climate Adaptation in Europe: From Policy to Action

Dr. Andreas H. Hagset serves as a project manager at Troms County Municipality in northern Norway, where he applies his expertise in marine geology and spatial planning to advance climate adaptation initiatives in the Arctic region. With a Ph.D. in Marine Geology from the Arctic University of Norway (UiT), he plays a crucial role in developing marine spatial planning frameworks, particularly through his contributions to the IMPETUS project. His work focuses on integrating spatial data and coastal zone management principles to address the unique challenges of the Arctic environment. Dr. Hagset's professional interests extend beyond traditional marine resource management, encompassing innovative approaches to sustainable marine resource utilization and their potential for regional development. His dedication to education and sustainable development demonstrates his commitment to creating lasting social impact in the Arctic region, while his expertise in marine spatial planning helps shape policies that balance environmental protection with economic development in Norway's northern coastal areas.

Alice Guittard is a specialized geographer and researcher at ATHENA RC and ReSEES Laboratory at the Athens University of Economics and Business, focusing on marine and coastal management. Her educational background includes a Master's Degree in Geography with specialization in Sea & Coastal Management from the University of Paul Valéry in Montpellier and a Master's Degree in GIS & Remote Sensing from Stockholm University. She currently works as a researcher at the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aephoria (AE4RIA) in Athens, where she contributes to sustainable development initiatives. Her expertise centers on stakeholder engagement, system thinking, and transition management in the Blue Economy sector, particularly focusing on coastal sustainable development, including land-sea interactions, Marine Spatial Planning, and Integrated Coastal Zone Management. As an active member of the Climate KIC community, she serves as a mentor in climathon and hackathon events, while also contributing to various European projects supporting the European Green Deal and EU Missions. Her research has garnered significant recognition with 130 citations across her published works, demonstrating her substantial impact in the field of sustainable coastal development and marine resource management.

Dr. Carla Garcia-Lozano is a distinguished researcher and professor at the University of Girona, specializing in physical geography and beach-dune system management. Her groundbreaking research focuses on the historical evolution of Catalan dune landscapes and the development of innovative assessment methods for coastal ecosystems. Her significant contributions include creating a comprehensive catalogue of dune morphologies and developing key indicators for analyzing the geomorphological and ecological status of beach-dune systems. Her expertise has been particularly valuable in the successful restoration of coastal dunes in Catalonia, notably at Sant Pere Pescador, where her research has demonstrated a 40% increase in dune height over three years through nature-based solutions. Since 2021, she has advanced her research using cutting-edge technology, including drone-mounted remote sensors, photogrammetry techniques, LiDAR radar, and infrared analysis to quantify the effectiveness of dune restoration efforts. Her work has been instrumental in understanding how coastal management practices affect beach-dune systems and their vulnerability to erosion, making her a leading voice in sustainable coastal preservation strategies.

Silvia Cocuccioni is a dedicated researcher at the Centre for Climate Change and Transformation of Eurac Research in Bolzano, Italy, specializing in climate change adaptation and risk assessment. Her academic background includes a BSc in Environmental Sciences from University La Sapienza in Rome and an MSc in Urban Environmental Management with a focus on land use spatial planning from Wageningen University. At Eurac Research, she plays a key role in the NEXOGENESIS project, which focuses on developing effective water-related policies through artificial intelligence and reinforcement learning to assess the water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus. Her expertise encompasses disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, with particular emphasis on stakeholder engagement processes. Currently, she contributes to interdisciplinary research activities, co-developing stakeholder behavior assessments and policy evaluations, while also managing the Adige river basin case study in Italy. Her work has garnered significant academic recognition, with 53 citations across 12 published works, demonstrating her substantial contribution to the field of environmental science and climate change adaptation.

Professor Phoebe Koundouri is a distinguished environmental economist and global leader in sustainable development, recognized among Stanford University's top 2% world scientists and serving as Professor at the Athens University of Economics and Business and Research Professor at the Technical University of Denmark. Her academic credentials include an MPhil and PhD in Economics from the University of Cambridge, with previous positions at prestigious institutions like Cambridge, University College London, Reading, and the London School of Economics. Her prolific scholarly work encompasses 18 books and over 600 scientific papers, including publications in Nature and The Lancet, while serving as President of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists and chairing the World Council of Environmental and Natural Resource Economists Associations. She is an elected member of multiple prestigious academies including Academia Europaea, European Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the World Academy of Art and Science, and serves on the Nominating Committee for the Nobel Prize in Economics Sciences. Her achievements include securing the European Research Council Synergy Grant in 2022 and receiving the Academy of Athens Award for Scientific Excellence in 2023. As director of the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aeiphoria (AE4RIA) and chair of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Global Climate Hub, she oversees extensive research networks spanning over 120 countries. Her influence extends to major international organizations, serving as an advisor to the UN, World Bank, European Commission, EIB, EBRD, OECD, WHO, and numerous public and private entities, while also representing Academia Europaea in the S20 Task Force of the G20 Heads of States and contributing to the Lancet Commission on COVID19 Recovery.