Project Overview
Funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, EmpowerUs is a €6 million, three-year project that will empower coastal communities to transition towards more resilient, inclusive and sustainable coastal development
Horizon Europe
Research and Innovation Action (RIA)
Socio-economic empowerment of the users of the sea
October 2022 – September 2025
16 partners in 9 countries
Nordland Research Institute, Norway
€6.2 million (EU Contribution: €5.2 million)
Coastal communities face many challenges including extreme weather associated with climate change, increased pressures from urban development and tourism, as well as changes in traditional and cultural practices. When faced with such a myriad of ever-changing challenges, it can be difficult to adapt. Recognising that these complex challenges require multiple, integrated solutions, EmpowerUs will support coastal communities to create multiple, integrated and flexible solutions to support their transition towards more sustainable, inclusive and resilient coastal development.
Co-assess & co-plan six innovative Transition Coastal Labs (TCLs)
Co-create, test and monitor six pilots for collaborative adaptive empowerment as Transformation Mechanisms
Improve skills in ocean literacy education and awareness-raising and uptake of solutions
Assess, co-monitor and co-evaluate transformation mechanisms’ success and make a transdisciplinary synthesis, understanding the barriers and enabling factors, that can be upscaled, leading to more sustainable, balanced and inclusive coastal development
Support effective knowledge management and transfer to ensure scalability and replicability of project knowledge and improve stakeholder capacity to take direct and sustainable actions
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Through six Work Packages, the project will inspire and enable coastal communities to tackle the most pressing environmental, economic and social challenges that exist in their communities.