After nearly five years of collaborative work, the European Horizon 2020 REST-COAST project convened for its final consortium meeting in Barcelona in early February. On the agenda were the main results that demonstrate how nature-based solutions (NbS), operational tools, business plans and policy insights can support evidence-based decision-making across Europe to reduce coastal risks, restore ecosystems and biodiversity, while improving the well-being of citizens.
Hosted from 2 to 5 February 2026 at the campus of the Catalonia University of Technology, Barcelonatech in Barcelona, Spain, the meeting brought together project partners and stakeholders to showcase scientific advances, practical tools, and governance insights developed throughout the project’s lifetime. The opening day coincided with World Wetlands Day, underlining the urgent need to restore and protect Europe’s coastal and wetland ecosystems in the face of climate change and increasing environmental pressures.
Throughout the four-day programme, discussions covered reporting on progress with a focus on first results and impact evaluation. Participants explored hands-on methodologies for evaluating performance, improving cost–benefit assessments, and transferring successful approaches across diverse coastal contexts. Researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Deltares, and Lincoln University highlighted pathways for upscaling from site-specific demonstrations to broadly adaptable frameworks, linking high-resolution modelling at pilot locations with broader decision-support tools capable of informing regional and international coastal risk reduction strategies.
Among the innovations presented were process-based hydro-morpho-ecological models for assessing risk reduction, a Geographic Information System (GIS) based dashboard visualising key indicators across all pilot sites, and a “Quick Scan Strategy Tool” that supports objective decision-making by combining various NbS building blocks into diverse adaptation pathways for large-scale implementation.
The project argued that scaling up coastal restoration requires more than technical solutions. Partners from the Global Climate Forum, Pernice Collaborative and Deltares presented results on financial mechanisms and governance frameworks, including different funding models, investment criteria, and policy recommendations designed to accelerate large-scale uptake of coastal NbS across Europe.
Representatives of the IUCN Mediterranean programme highlighted actions to move restoration beyond pilot projects and toward transformative, systemic impact through governance and policy change. Their work on governance for restoration upscaling addresses the key bottlenecks to implementing NbS at scale and offered comprehensive policy recommendations to support national, European and international decision-making.
The meeting served as a demonstration platform for innovative tools aimed at engaging communities and fostering social transformation. Representatives from Pensoft Publishers and the CMCC Foundation presented the MyREST-COAST mobile app, an interactive educational tool enabling users to explore real restoration scenarios, as well as the “Coastal Challenge” serious video game, designed to raise awareness and encourage stakeholder engagement.
As part of the meeting, the participants experienced the results of restoration efforts in the Ebro Delta firsthand. The programme included visits to restoration works in La Marquesa, including the dune systems implemented in Fangar Bay, as well as a field trip to the coastal zone (Bombita), which is now public property and is being used to illustrate the potential of the proposed solutions for upscaling. The Eurecat team presented local interventions on site and demonstrated their experimental climatic huts (open top chambers) as a tool in climate monitoring and adaptation, offering a tangible perspective on how NbS are implemented and monitored in practice.
A dedicated session with local journalists strengthened outreach efforts, increasing awareness of REST-COAST’s activities and impacts among key stakeholders. A media representative also joined the field visit to the Ebro Delta to learn more about the project’s on-the-ground achievements to promote insightful media coverage.
“The REST-COAST EU project is demonstrating that coastal protection can be based on natural solutions like embryonic dunes, constructed wetlands and seagrass meadows, leading to a decarbonised maintenance with benefits for society and habitats,” says Prof Agustin Sanchez Arcilla, REST-COAST Coordinator.
As the project approaches its end in May 2026, REST-COAST will consolidate its legacy through the publication of a dedicated project book summarising all scientific, financial and governance advances of the project. The project partners will continue to support scientific dissemination and participation in key policy and research events, as well as in the organised Coastal Restoration Platforms, to ensure long-term impact.
The REST-COAST final meeting marked not only almost the end of a nearly five-year hard work, but also a significant step forward in enabling Europe’s coasts to become more resilient, sustainable, and climate-ready through the power of nature-based solutions.
This project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Innovation Action under grant agreement No 101037097.