I4C in 2025: reflections, projections, and what’s ahead!
For the Impetus4Change (I4C) project, 2025 has been a year defined by co-creation, shared insights, and meaningful advances across the I4C community. Together, we’ve deepened our understanding of climate impacts and strengthened the partnerships that power our mission.
Let’s look back on the milestones that shaped our journey and the collaborative momentum that will carry us into 2026.
From the 2nd Adaptalab to ECCA 2025: I4C on the road to climate action
The year was full of event opportunities for I4C, from hackathons to international conferences and workshops involving science, policy, and local communities.
We kicked off with the second I4C Climate Adaptalab, held in Barcelona (Spain) from 11–13 March. This hackathon-style event gathered climate scientists, data experts, and stakeholders from 6 cities involved in I4C (Barcelona, Prague, Paris, Bergen, Newcastle, and Hamburg). Teams worked in mixed groups, sharing ideas and co-developing innovative strategies to enhance climate resilience. With 70 participants, double the number of the first edition in Paris, the event underscored growing interest in I4C and highlighted the power of collaboration in shaping actionable climate solutions.
Curious to learn more? Check the video below and have a look at the final report!
The momentum continued in June with the launch of the I4C “Make it Real” Roadshow at ECCA 2025, the 7th European Climate Change Adaptation Conference in Rimini (Italy). From 16–18 June, I4C brought climate knowledge directly to cities, bridging the gap between research and decision-making. The conference attracted 645 in-person participants and 407 online from 69 countries, offering a dynamic platform to transform scientific insights into concrete policies and local initiatives.
Read more about the I4C “Make it Real” Roadshow journey by diving into the article!
This year, I4C events also took a more local focus, including the second Heat & Health Workshop (Barcelona Supercomputing Center and 300K) and “Le climat en données” hackathon event (Météo-France). For instance, at the hackathon, new high-resolution regional climate simulations, developed within I4C, attracted considerable interest, with their fine spatial and temporal detail already inspiring innovative ideas.
As part of the EU research ecosystem, I4C joined forces with the Horizon Europe research projects EXPECT and ASPECT to co-organise the Open Workshop on Understanding and Predicting Annual to Multi-Decadal Climate Variations (UPCLIV Workshop) in Bologna (Italy). The workshop was a major scientific milestone, bringing together expertise across projects to deepen an understanding of climate variability for improved near-term climate services.
Check out our website for upcoming engagements and a recap of past events.
Co-creation in action: expanding climate services across Europe
As part of its mission to strengthen climate resilience across Europe, I4C collaborates with stakeholders in 4 ‘Demonstrator Cities’ — Barcelona, Bergen, Paris, Prague — to co-develop climate services tailored to local adaptation needs.
This year, the Demonstrator Cities deepened local partnerships and piloted innovative tools that deliver actionable insights for urban planning, public health, and community resilience. Together with local stakeholders, the cities continue to co-create solutions and advance climate adaptation research. This co-creation process is essential for I4C’s impact beyond the scientific community – locally, and over the longer term.
This year, I4C also expanded its co-creation efforts by working with local stakeholders in 2 additional cities: Hamburg(Germany) and Newcastle(UK). In tandem with the Demonstrators, these activities also provide new opportunities to develop and test climate services across diverse European climates and urban contexts. Stay tuned for concrete updates from the I4C Demonstrator Cities and other partner cities!
I4C data is in the conversation: from extreme summers to escalating wildfire risks
This year was also full of scientific insights, thanks to I4C experts working with advanced climate data and modelling using I4C datasets.
This research will help cities and regions better understand climate extremes in Europe, including the drivers behind extreme summer temperatures and wildfire risks in the Iberian Peninsula, but also refine tools for risk assessment and adaptation planning.
What do we wish for in 2026?
As we look ahead to 2026, the I4C mandate remains more relevant than ever. By partnering with climate experts, local practitioners, and organisations, we will continue to make climate information not only accessible but also clear, actionable, and directly relevant for cities and regions facing climate extremes.
Concretely, we anticipate more scientific outputs, events, and cocreation in the Demonstrator Cities. A key milestone will be the third I4C Climate Adaptalab, taking place on 16–18 June 2026 in Bergen, Norway. This is a unique chance for experts from different backgrounds to come together and explore practical solutions to help cities adapt to climate change.
Thank you for being part of the I4C journey! We look forward to renewed collaboration, innovative thinking, and a shared commitment to climate adaptation in 2026.
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