On 2 and 3 July 2025, Wetland4Change took part in the annual meeting of the Natural Heritage Mission, hosted at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). The event served as a dynamic forum for Mediterranean projects committed to preserving natural ecosystems and addressing pressing climate and environmental issues.
Over two intensive days, project partners and stakeholders engaged in forward-looking discussions, outlining priorities for the coming months. These included setting the groundwork for the next Institutional Dialogue scheduled in Barcelona this November and launching collective efforts such as the #SolveTheChallenge campaign, aimed at reinforcing environmental governance across the region. Participants also joined thematic workshops tackling critical topics such as climate adaptation in coastal zones, disaster risk management, nature-based solutions.
Natural Heritage Mission meeting in Athen
Bringing Wetland Solutions to the Forefront
During thematic cluster sessions, Wetland4Change represented by project partner Eleni Fitoka from The Goulandaris Greek Biotope-Wetland Center contributed actively by sharing experiences in developing wetland-based solutions for carbon sequestration and flood impact mitigation across five pilot Mediterranean wetlands and finally took part in discussions within two working groups:
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1st cluster : Adaptation to climate change in coastal areas:
The partners highlighted governance barriers and gaps in legislation and administrative processes as persistent challenges for effective management and climate adaptation in Mediterranean coastal zones. Strengthening stakeholder engagement was identified as essential for driving a concrete long-term change.
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2nd cluster : Nature-Based Solutions for flood regulation:
Project partners also emphasised a critical gap in the integration of wetland ecosystem assessments within the EU Flood Risk Management Plans. This oversight weakens flood mitigation strategies. Wetland4Change underlined the need to raise awareness and improve communication efforts to promote wetland conservation and restoration as a key nature-based solution to flood risks.
Natural Heritage Mission meeting in Athen – Cluster sessions
Natural Heritage Mission meeting in Athen – Cluster sessions
The Athens meeting provided Wetland4Change with valuable opportunities to align with other Thematic Projects like LocAll4Flood and We Go Coop projects, exchanging methodologies, findings, and challenges.
