Introducing RISE-IN – a collaborative international project for resilient investment for sustainable environments, focusing on a new approach to climate adaptation.

The RISE-IN consortium unites 26 partners across 13 countries, bringing together universities, local authorities, industry, small/medium enterprises, non-governmental organisations, and climate networks. Over five years (2025-2030), this consortium will work collaboratively to co-design and deliver inclusive, effective climate adaptation solutions that support Europe’s and the world’s transition towards climate neutrality.

RISE-IN introduces a groundbreaking approach to climate adaptation by linking environmental resilience with financial viability. Centred on nature-based solutions (NBS) for flood risk management, the project launches the Bankability Readiness Level (BRL) – an innovative metric designed to assess, enhance and unlock the investment potential of climate-resilient interventions.

Combining climate-risk assessment, stakeholder co-creation and social innovation, RISE-IN turns cities into living labs for sustainable, scalable and financially attractive solutions. These approaches will be demonstrated in Cesena (Italy), Christchurch (New Zealand) and Póvoa de Varzim (Portugal), and replicated in Ghent (Belgium), Zhytomyr (Ukraine) and Kadıköy (Türkiye), enabling adaptation strategies to be transferred across Europe and beyond.

Led by Professor Laura Grassi at POLIMI, RISE-IN not only addresses climate risks – it reshapes how we design, fund and invest in our shared future.

HWWI contributes to the project by assessing the economic costs of potential future floods in the cities of Póvoa de Varzim (Portugal), Cesena (Italy), and Christchurch (New Zealand), which serve as real-life testbeds for the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of climate-resilient solutions (CRS). The analysis is carried out using HWWI’s own computable general equilibrium (CGE) model.

Acknowledgement: RISE-IN receives funding from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) and HorizonEurope, under Grant Agreement no.  101214441.

Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.