.svg)
.svg)
Article
Content
The Med-IREN project is dedicated to protecting cities and communities across the Mediterranean from climate-related risks, such as flooding, wildfires, heatwaves, and coastal erosion. By combining nature-based solutions with engineering expertise, the project aims to create sustainable, resilient strategies that safeguard essential infrastructure, including transport, water, energy, and social services.
To demonstrate its impact, Med-IREN will implement solutions in five key Mediterranean regions: Granollers (Spain), Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (France), Ischia and Tuscany (Italy), and Egaleo (Greece). The results will then be replicated in additional cities across Europe, including Larnaka (Cyprus), Sitia (Greece), Burgas (Bulgaria), and Helsinki (Finland).
Beyond these pilot sites, the project will focus on scaling and replicating these solutions to help other Mediterranean regions and cities worldwide adapt to climate change. Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, Med-IREN is paving the way for a future where nature and technology work together to build climate resilience.
Latitudo 40 plays a key technical role in the MED-IREN project, contributing to the development of advanced digital solutions for the analysis, simulation, and monitoring of critical infrastructures across Mediterranean regions. The company is actively involved from the early stages of the project, supporting the initial regional diagnostic assessment by providing essential indicators related to the potential for Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and calculating the carbon footprint of existing infrastructure. These insights, derived from satellite data and proprietary geospatial models, are crucial for understanding the current conditions of the demonstration areas and establishing strategic priorities for climate adaptation.
A major area of contribution is the design and definition of the Digital Twin framework—a dynamic virtual replica of critical infrastructure systems. Latitudo 40 contributes specifically to the integration of Earth Observation (EO) data and the modeling of NBS effects within the Digital Twin environment. This platform will enable the simulation of future scenarios and the evaluation of mitigation or adaptation strategies, delivering data-driven decision support for infrastructure management under extreme climate conditions.
Latitudo 40 is also responsible for designing and implementing regional environmental monitoring networks, combining in-situ sensor data with satellite-based EO services. These networks aim to continuously measure the baseline environmental conditions and track the effectiveness of NBS implementations over time. Each monitoring network will be customized according to the specific needs of the demonstration and replication sites, ensuring a targeted, efficient, and scalable approach.
Additionally, Latitudo 40 develops and deploys the UrbanClimate Simulator across all demonstration regions. This simulation tool allows stakeholders to assess long-term scenarios related to land use, urban management, and climate resilience. By providing an analytical foundation for integrating NBS into local planning strategies, the simulator supports more adaptive, sustainable, and data-informed urban development.
