OBJECTIVES

• Cross-Border Data Sharing and Governance: Establish a joint data-sharing and governance mechanism between Italy and Croatia to ensure a rapid and effective response to climate-related threats.
• Standardisation of Early Warning Systems (EWS): Overcome regional disparities by developing common guidelines for the technological and procedural upgrading of early warning systems.
• Strengthening Local Capacities: Develop capacity-building modules for public administrators, decision-makers, and civil protection operators, transferring best practices that can also be applied beyond the programme area.
• Long-Term Sustainability: Ensure that project results continue beyond the project's duration (42 months) by integrating them into local territorial planning and energy policies.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

• The work plan is structured into four highly interconnected Work Packages:

• WP1 - Benchmarking and Analysis (ongoing/completed during the initial phase): Mapping and comparative analysis of the platforms and EWS currently used by coastal partners. This activity aims to identify technological and structural gaps, laying the foundation for standardisation guidelines.
• WP2 - Knowledge Transfer: Identification and collection of coastal resilience best practices, including experiences from outside the Adriatic area, and development of an online Atlas of Climate Risks and Adaptation Actions.
• WP3 - Local Pilot Projects (the operational core of the project): Field implementation of solutions organised into five thematic areas (Early Warning Systems, Nature-Based Solutions, Coastal Protection, Risk Management, and Innovative Financing Schemes such as crowdfunding).

• Our focus as the Molise Region : Within the coastal monitoring pilot action, we will deploy a Mobile Operational Room (MOR UAS) equipped with satellite connectivity and drones fitted with LiDAR sensors to produce 3D mapping of beach erosion and monitor shoreline evolution in real time. In addition, within the Biferno River basin, we will conduct experimental analyses of Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) using Copernicus satellite data to optimise water resource management during drought periods.

• WP4 - Institutional Sustainability: Preparation of policy recommendations for local adaptation plans, delivery of joint training courses, and development of a legal and financial feasibility study for the establishment of the ASCO Observatory.

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Adoption of the Joint EWS Strategy: At least two public authorities will formally adopt the common strategy developed to upgrade and integrate coastal early warning systems with advanced tools, including Generative AI for the consultation of historical weather bulletins.
• Certified Training Programmes: At least 30 key participants, including regional officials, civil protection personnel, and firefighters, will successfully complete the joint training modules.
• Infrastructure and Local Plans: Implementation of five thematic pilot reports (including Rain Gardens in Zadar and the Green Garden initiative in Dubrovnik) and integration of data generated by Molise's drones and Abruzzo's wave buoys into official monitoring networks.
• Signing of the ASCO Coastal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU ): All project partners will sign the official agreement defining the roadmap, data rights, financial sustainability, and governance framework of the future Adriatic Sea Climate Observatory, ensuring permanent cooperation between Italy and Croatia beyond the project's conclusion.

PROJECT PARTNERS

• Italian Agency for Meteorology and Climatology - ITALIAMETEO (Lead Partner)
• Molise Region - Civil Protection Service
• Veneto Region - Regional Agency for Environmental Prevention and Protection of Veneto (ARPAV)
• Puglia Region - Department for Mobility, Urban Quality, Public Works, Ecology and Landscape
• Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy of Emilia-Romagna (ARPAE)
• Dubrovnik-Neretva County - Administrative Department for Environmental Protection and Communal Affairs
• Istrian County Firefighting Brigade
• Abruzzo Regional Civil Protection Agency
• Karlovac County Firefighters Association
• Zadar County Development Agency - ZADRA NOVA
• Public Institution "Lika-Senj County Development Agency - LIRA"
• Ruđer Bošković Institute