Adopting nature-based solutions to cope with flooding phenomena: the participatory approach of the LIFE Beware project

The LIFE Beware Project addresses the problem of the increase in flooding phenomena that has been registered in Italy and many other countries due to climate change. Started in 2018, it proposes an integrated multiple approach aimed at adopting nature-based solutions (NBS) to mitigate the risk of flood and increase territorial resilience to climate change with: i) information and raising awareness activities involving multiple stakeholders at the local, national and international level; ii) participatory processes for the involvement of the local communities in the development of effective public policies to mitigate the risk of flood in the Altovicentino area (northeastern Italy); iii) support to citizens interested in adopting sustainable water retention, infiltration and storage measures; iv) training and educational processes targeting professionals, technicians and students; v) networking and replicability activities to multiply the impact of the generated good practices and increase the sustainability of the project actions. The core element of the project is its participatory approach, made by different actions that aim at the involvement of citizens, farmers, professionals and stakeholders, together with information, diffusion, educational activities (i.e., conferences cycle and events) from primary schools to University masters, training initiatives at local, national and international level (webinars, publications). Several raising awareness and knowledge dissemination activities have been organized to boost citizens’ active involvement as it is the case of the conferences’ cycle, with national and international experts in climate change and resilience, the School of Common Goods to increase citizens’ knowledge about the concept of “common goods” and reflect about the challenges faced by the territory of the Altovicentino, the set of educational activities for students and teachers to have an impact on the youngest generation and improve their knowledge and awareness about climate change, with a specific focus on the cycle of water and sustainable hydraulic management. Furthermore, through the hydraulic restoration tour, the visitors, students, schools and citizens have the opportunity to discover and visit the different measures that can be implemented to mitigate the flood risk in urban and rural areas. The project proposes a direct support to those citizens who are interested in investing in small water retention and storage measures through the creation of a help desk and the activation of a purchasing group for NBS.