Funded by the European Commission and coordinated by the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC), the flagship project FUTURA - Future of climate change scenarios of the Earth system, impacts and socio-economic outcomes for Assessment and society - has been officially launched on 1 June 2026 and will be implemented over four years, concluding on 31 May 2030. It aims to advance the next generation of climate scenarios, projections and research data infrastructure used by climate experts to support and inform governance stakeholders and international reporting frameworks.
Through FUTURA, Europe embarks on a new journey towards fostering a future of climate resilience through improved climate change assessment and stronger collaboration across the scientific, climate service and policy communities. FUTURA’s ambition is to enhance climate change expertise and support effective climate policies through pan-European cooperation and a community-driven process that advances climate change research and assessment.
At a time when climate change-related risks are becoming increasingly complex and interconnected, the need for robust scientific evidence to support decision-making has never been greater. In response to these challenges, FUTURA will, over the next four years, strengthen the scientific foundations underpinning climate policy and governance, helping decision-makers better understand future climate risks, impacts and pathways towards a more sustainable and resilient future. Under the coordination of CMCC, 40 leading European institutions will combine expertise to improve the understanding of the far-reaching impacts and future trajectories of climate change. Reflecting on the project’s long-term vision, Anna Pirani, a member of the coordination team at CMCC, offered their personal perspectives: “For the first time, FUTURA brings together the European communities contributing to international coordinated climate change, impacts and socio-economic modelling and model data distribution and curation infrastructure. Together, we will jointly develop the FUTURA climate change pathways system, informing the future of climate change projections and scenarios development needed to support European and international policy needs.”
To achieve its ambition, FUTURA will coordinate European modelling and infrastructure efforts. Coordinated modelling activities enhance the model data multiverse, offering more opportunities to explore and understand climate-natural-human systems feedbacks to better assess feasible and plausible future climate change projections and scenarios. “Building on these efforts, the project will investigate a range of critical issues, including climate extremes, tipping points, carbon budgets, environmental and socio-economic impacts, including scenarios that overshoot global warming of 1.5 °C, peak and then return to, or below, that level,” explains Anna Pirani.
By leveraging advances in process-resolving, complex modelling, alongside a comprehensive range of model emulator frameworks, FUTURA will also contribute to advancing the evidence base relevant to climate change for European and international policymakers with the evidence needed to address emerging climate challenges.
Beyond advancing scientific knowledge, FUTURA seeks to transform how climate science is shared and communicated, ensuring that scientific insights are more effectively translated into policy and practice. By fostering collaboration across disciplines and strengthening the science-policy interface, the project will help ensure that climate-related strategies are informed by robust, transparent and actionable evidence.
Climate change is a challenge that requires the collective efforts of scientists, policymakers, practitioners, and citizens. Over the next four years, FUTURA will foster engagement from all stakeholders interested in contributing to a more sustainable future for the generations to come. If you wish to connect with the project, you are encouraged to visit the project’s LinkedIn page. Further information regarding FUTURA’s objective, scope and expected impact is available here.