- One
fully implemented platform connecting stakeholders with environment and solutions.
- 5x to 25x
more irrigation is expected for agriculture to face droughts
- 2023-2028
Implementation timeline
Solutions
MountResilience is a Horizon Europe project, funded through the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, aiming at helping mountain communities build resilience to the impacts of climate change. The project works across several alpine and mountainous regions to develop, test and scale practical adaptation and nature-based solutions tailored to local needs. It also aims to encourage behavioural change among citizens so they can better respond to climate challenges specific to mountain environments. Solutions put forward in the Swiss Valais region through this project aim to bring together and reconnect citizens, farmers, municipalities, water managers, energy producers, tourism operators and other local actors with the actual state of water resources, changing environmental conditions and existing adaptation solutions. The aim is to support informed decision-making and more coherent action in response to changing water availability. The demonstrator, called Mountis, includes the following parts.
- Sensor network: A network of sensors has been deployed to collect real-time data in the watershed, including in remote areas and under severe environmental conditions. Data on water reserves, water flows, water quality and soil moisture is compared to historical levels to build the core indicators expressing the current situation, both for human activities and for ecosystem preservation.
- Digital platform: A freely accessible digital platform was developed as a way of presenting related water and environmental data as clear and engaging indicators. These indicators were designed to be easily understood. Design research methods, including local observation, co-creative phases and cognitive science protocols allowed interactions and representations to be created which are engaging, simple and impactful for all stakeholders, including citizens. The platform is accessible as a multiplatform web app and links environmental situations to existing solutions with examples of effective implementation. Notifications can also be used in the app to alert users of unusual or critical situations. Observations by local stakeholders increase engagement of local communities.
- Implementation methodology: An evolution in the decision-making process through the use of real-time data and the solutions catalogue. This methodology is the result of experimentation and workshops performed in different locations.
Co-benefits
Economic
The case study in Valais supports more efficient and transparent water allocation across competing sectors such as agriculture, hydropower, tourism and potable water supply. Real-time, evidence-based indicators foster prioritisation for essential uses during water-scarce periods, including economic activities like tourism, farming or energy production, while preserving drinking water availability for citizens. It also supports the development of transformative projects. Informed and evidence based decisions help reduce water-related conflicts, lower delays, limit projects rejections and strengthen long-term resilience, leading to faster and more efficient investment.
Social
This case study emphasises the importance of inclusive research by ensuring that the more technical and scientific parts of the solutions are transformed into understandable, engaging indicators. This strengthens collaboration between different actors, such as water managers, researchers, businesses and citizens, by facilitating the shared access to clear water information. The digital platform encourages public engagement by integrating citizen observations, promoting climate awareness and supporting more inclusive decision-making. By improving local understanding of local water conditions, the approach helps to foster behavioural change, helping build trust and cooperation among stakeholders facing shared climate challenges.
Environmental
The implementation of sensors for the continuous monitoring of water quality and quantity, as well as soil moisture, improves the understanding of local watershed dynamics, supporting more sustainable water management. This in turn helps to protect freshwater habitats from excessive water extraction, helping to reach a balance between supply and demand without threatening the integrity of these areas. The project also promotes the use of nature-based solutions through a dedicated catalogue within the platform, encouraging measures that improve the resilience of mountain landscapes while protecting the ecosystems that support them.
Replicability
How other mountainous regions can adopt sensor networks and digital platforms to harvest and disseminate important information on water management.
Best suited for
This model is best suited for mountain regions where climate change is increasing pressure on water resources through glacier retreat, changing precipitation patterns, drought, and competing water uses. It is particularly applicable in regions where robust data on these competing water uses is not yet available or need to be integrated into relevant for all stakeholders. This also applies to regions that do not have easily understandable water and other types of environmental data. The solution can help regions where citizens and water actors feel disconnected from actual situation and knowledge, to bolster participation and acceptance.
Stakeholders' role
The replication of this model depends on a quadruple-helix approach that brings together four main stakeholder groups, namely public authorities, research institutions, businesses, and communities. In Valais, stakeholders co-create indicators, contribute local knowledge, participate in workshops and Local Councils, and use shared scientific data to support collaborative decision-making. This participatory model is intended to strengthen ownership, build trust, and ensure that adaptation measures respond to local priorities. The acquired knowledge, the available platform and the implementation methodology, make the replication of Mountis easy, facilitating involvement of stakeholders in the decision-making process with the usage of real time indicators and possible solutions.
Built-in scalable tools
The Valais demonstrator has been designed with replication in mind through the development of reusable digital and governance tools. These include guidance to implement a suitable sensor network, access to the open digital platform that translates environmental data into accessible indicators, citizen observation functions, a catalogue of nature-based solutions. Across MountResilience, these tools are complemented by implementation roadmaps and guidance for replicator regions to facilitate transfer and scaling.
Funding pathways
MountResilience project is funded through Horizon EU grant agreement number 101112876. The Swiss partners have received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
