Europe’s nature-based solutions movement is gaining momentum. After receiving over 70 applications from across the continent, SpongeWorks is proud to announce eight new Associated Regions will join the project to help shape how Europe manages water, land, and climate risks: they will receive tailored support to develop and scale sponge measures—Nature-based Solutions (NbS) that help retain water, reduce flood and drought risks, and restore ecosystems.

The selected regions reflect Europe’s climate diversity—from water-scarce landscapes to areas hit by more frequent flooding. Working with SpongeWorks, the regions will test, refine, and expand nature-based solutions for long-term water resilience and land restoration. Together, they’ll develop sponge strategies at the landscape scale: integrated ways of slowing runoff, storing and managing water in the environment.

The eight selected regions are led by a diverse set of public institutions, including local and regional governments, river basin authorities, and land and water management agencies—all with a mandate to tackle water, soil, and climate-related challenges in their territories.w