EU Mission Project SpongeWorks Boosts Climate Resilience

Europe is facing increasingly frequent heatwaves and prolonged droughts, leaving soils dry, compacted, and unable to absorb water. When heavy rain follows, the hardened ground repels it, causing streams and rivers to overflow and leading to severe flooding in residential areas and farmlands. 

With the landscape under pressure, efforts are underway to restore the soil’s ability to absorb, store, and slowly release water, also known as its natural 'sponge function'. 

Restoring this sponge function means helping soils become light, fertile, and rich in organic matter once again. Healthy soils regulate temperature, retain water during dry periods, and release it gradually when needed. This approach is central to climate adaptation efforts across Europe. 

The EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change is funding several projects that tackle this issue. Among them is SpongeWorks that is working to enhance climate resilience throughout Europe by implementing and assessing nature-based solutions that enhance natural water retention and shield against flood and drought risks. The Project assesses and quantifies combined benefits and costs at the scale of landscapes 
and creates pathways for upscaling and replication. 

France24 recently featured SpongeWorks in a dedicated segment. Watch the interview below (English subtitles available) to learn how the project is helping Europe adapt to a changing climate and visit the SpongeWorks project page.