ECCA2025, hosted by CMCC in Rimini, has just wrapped up, marking a pivotal moment in the European and global conversation on climate adaptation. With over 600 participants including high-level representatives from across sectors and countries, the conference shone a spotlight on the urgent needs and innovative solutions that are shaping the future of climate resilience.

Adaptation to climate change is not a distant challenge – it is an immediate necessity that must be addressed with both urgency and strategic planning. In the words of CMCC President Antonio Navarra, “Climate adaptation is not a 100-meter sprint – it’s a marathon.” The discussions at ECCA 2025 made clear that the path forward relies on building trust in science, ensuring that knowledge is both reliable and locally relevant, and connecting this knowledge directly with society and policy.

A central theme that emerged was the essential role of community engagement. According to Navarra, “we need scientific data and information that are not only reliable but also localized and relevant. And finally, we must go beyond the data: we need to connect scientific results with society, with local policymaking, and with public consensus.”

In this way adaptation is framed as a process that cannot be implemented from the top-down; it has to be co-created with those most affected. “Engaging people is essential to ensure that adaptation measures are not only implemented but also maintained over time. When citizens are involved, they help care for these measures and support scaling them up. This engagement builds trust because it means the actions reflect real community needs,” says CMCC researcher Paola Mercogliano.

Sessions and case studies throughout ECCA 2025 helped highlight the need for inclusive, people-centered approaches – whether in the restoration of coastal habitats or the scaling up of citizen science – as they are fundamental to successful adaptation.

Collaboration across disciplines and sectors emerged as another cornerstone of adaptation. From finance and policy to urban planning, health, and even the arts climate adaptation is most effective when diverse expertise and perspectives come together. “A key message from our panel is the importance of collaboration among diverse projects […] This collective approach not only inspires replication across regions but also supports the EU Adaptation Mission’s goal of climate resilience,” notes CMCC’s Elisa Furlan. “What emerged strongly is the concept of collective intelligence, where big data, AI models, and environmental monitoring combine with stakeholder engagement and local knowledge to shape shared governance and a unified vision for adaptation.”

In fact, a people-centered approach does not imply foregoing innovation and advanced technology-based solutions to some of the key challenges posed by climate change. From nature-based solutions to digital tools, real-world projects presented throughout ECCA 2025 give concrete examples of how technology, when combined with local knowledge and community participation, can empower decision-makers and make adaptation both actionable and accessible.

As Giovanni Coppini explains, in reference to CMCC’s digital twin technology for coastal resilience: “We want to develop a system that is integrated, relocatable, affordable, tailored, and powerful, because coastal adaptation is a complex challenge, and solutions must be accessible, especially for the Global South. It’s not just about technology, it’s about engaging communities, building knowledge, and making science usable for real decisions.”

An approach that must be employed throughout resilience planning, whether it be in reference to coastal areas or in the way we plan the cities of the future so that they integrate nature as core elements.

ECCA 2025 has made it clear: climate adaptation demands urgency, collaboration, and inclusivity, whereby solutions emerge from the ground up, through partnerships, innovation, and a shared commitment to resilience. Nadia Pinardi, director of the UN Decade Collaborative Center on Coastal Resilience and member of CMCC’s strategy council, reminds us that “Public sentiment is everything,” underscoring the need for science that is practical, inclusive, and deeply connected to local realities.

CMCC is proud to have led this milestone event, which according to Giulia Galluccio, Director of CMCC’s Advanced Training and Education Center, can continue to be “a catalyst for action, dialogue, deep listening, and inspiration,”  charting a course for climate adaptation that is both ambitious and grounded in community and setting the tone for the next chapter.