Wetlands for drought resilience: NBS4Drought is building Europe’s water future
A new article published on earth.org introduces our project.
Key takeaways
- Drought risk is increasing across Europe, but impacts are still underestimated.
- Wetlands can help reduce drought impacts by storing water and supporting aquifer recharge.
- NBS4Drought will generate strong evidence on effectiveness and cost-efficiency.
- Seven showcase sites test wetland solutions across diverse European contexts.
- Results will support replication through tools, guidance, and policy recommendations.
Climate change is making droughts longer, more frequent, and more intense. Across Europe, drought risk is rising, yet its impacts are still widely underestimated. NBS4Drought responds to this challenge by demonstrating how wetland-based Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) can strengthen drought resilience and support sustainable water management.
Wetlands act like natural sponges. They store freshwater from rainfall and snowmelt and release it slowly over time, helping to recharge local aquifers and protect ecosystems during dry periods. However, there is still a major evidence gap: the benefits and cost-effectiveness of wetland solutions have not been consistently quantified across Europe’s diverse conditions.
What is NBS4Drought?
NBS4Drought is an EU-funded project that aims to showcase the viability and cost-effectiveness of wetland-based NBS for drought resilience. Launched in Aarhus, Denmark, the project brings together 24 partners from eight European countries.
By combining advanced research tools with local involvement, NBS4Drought supports practical, evidence-based solutions that can be scaled up and replicated across Europe.
Seven showcases across Europe
NBS4Drought works with seven wetland showcases across five European bioclimatic zones. These sites act as living laboratories where solutions are co-designed, implemented, monitored, and assessed in real-world conditions. The showcases include:
- Barcelona (Spain): City wetland park for urban water co-creation
- Granollers (Spain): Tertiary treatment wetlands for safe water reuse
- Aarhus (Denmark): Rewetting organic soils to create a green circular corridor
- Samsø Island (Denmark): Wetland reservoirs to support agriculture during drought
- Lake Constance (Germany): Small wetlands for biodiversity and water resilience
- Świniobródka River catchment (Poland): Riparian wetland restoration for downstream water security
- Polesie National Park (Poland): Peatbog conservation and retention ponds for water balance
From research to real-world action
NBS4Drought strengthens wetland-based solutions through:
- Advanced monitoring and data collection
- AI-based modelling and decision support tools
- Ecosystem services assessments to measure benefits for people and nature
- Hydrological, life cycle, and socio-economic evaluations
- Citizen science and stakeholder engagement to ensure local relevance and long-term success
The project also aims to deliver a user-friendly platform that brings together technical, economic, and social data to support decision-making and replication.
