UPT Participates in the European Climate Change Adaptation Conference – ECCA 2025

UPT Participates in the European Climate Change Adaptation Conference – ECCA 2025

The ECCA 2025 (European Climate Change Adaptation Conference), held between 16–18 June in Rimini, Italy, brought together approximately 400 international experts, researchers, policymakers, civil society representatives, and leaders from the public and private sectors, all engaged in advancing climate adaptation actions across Europe.

This year's edition placed a strong emphasis on Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), innovative financing mechanisms, and integrated resilience planning tools. Key themes included ecosystem restoration, sustainable water management, institutional capacity-building, and the promotion of participatory governance models capable of supporting long-term climate resilience.

The Politehnica University of Timișoara (UPT) was represented at ECCA 2025 by Dr. Habil. Eng. Rareș Hălbac-Cotoară-Zamfir, Director of the Support Center for Climate Action (CSAC) and coordinator of the UPT team in the Horizon Europe project LAND4CLIMATE, and by psychologist Cristina Hălbac-Cotoară-Zamfir, researcher and expert in community engagement and psychosocial resilience.

Participation was financially supported through the 39PHE/2024 project, funded by UEFISCDI, contributing to the strengthening of UPT's international visibility and its ongoing research activities in the field of climate adaptation.

Within the conference, the LAND4CLIMATE project—dedicated to developing and testing nature-based approaches to enhance climate resilience—was highlighted through case studies, scientific contributions, and knowledge exchange sessions. The UPT team discussed with international partners the results from the Upper Timiș River pilot region, demonstrating how nature-based solutions can transform vulnerable territories into resilient communities capable of managing risks related to water, extreme temperatures, and land degradation.

"Our participation in such events strengthens the role of the Support Center for Climate Action within European networks of collaboration and knowledge exchange. Through the technical expertise we provide, we aim to support authorities and local stakeholders in implementing concrete, sustainable, and replicable solutions," stated Lect. Dr. Eng. Rareș Hălbac-Cotoară-Zamfir, Director of CSAC and coordinator of the UPT team in LAND4CLIMATE.

UPT's presence at ECCA 2025 reflects the institution's commitment to contributing actively to the development of a resilient society, capable of integrating scientific knowledge, technological innovation, and community participation into meaningful climate adaptation processes.