RISE-IN Stakeholder Engagement Event in Póvoa de Varzim
22 September 2025
Póvoa de Varzim
ABOUT
NEWSROOM
RESULTS
@ 2025 by RISE-IN Consortium
Acknowledgement: RISE-IN receives funding from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) and HorizonEurope, under Grant Agreement no. 101214441.
Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
On September 22, the Póvoa de Varzim Climate Center hosted the launch of RISE-IN at the Clube de Caçadores da Estela. The event marked the start of an open and participatory dialogue with the community and various strategic stakeholders - public institutions, companies, banks, insurers, universities, and research centers - all invited to collaborate in protecting and enhancing the Alto River watershed.
RISE-IN combines natural, technical, and financial solutions to protect the Alto River, ensuring that proposed actions are effective, accepted by the community, and financially sustainable over time. The goal is clear: protect people and economic activities, enhance agricultural areas, and improve the landscape, with tangible benefits felt in everyday life.
The Alto River watershed was chosen for being particularly vulnerable to floods and extreme events. Testing solutions at a real-world scale in this territory allows for faster implementation of concrete measures and adjustment of interventions to meet the needs of Póvoa de Varzim, from the coast to the agricultural interior.
The event initiated a cycle of dialogue and co-creation with public institutions, companies, the financial sector, academia, and citizens. In the next phases, priorities will be gathered, solutions co-created, and projects validated for on-the-ground implementation.
RISE-IN positions Póvoa de Varzim within the international circuit of climate adaptation innovation, aligning local goals with European objectives for urban resilience and ecological transition. The project aims to leave a lasting legacy: solutions that are built and replicable, funding mobilised, and a culture of prevention and care for the territory and landscape, developed with contributions from all.
The conditions are now set for everyone to participate actively. The community, institutions, and companies are invited to join this collective effort to protect and enhance the Alto River. The September 22 meeting was only the first step in a process that will continue to be open and collaborative.
Author: Carla Gonçalves, Landscape Architect, Executive Director of the Climate Center / Póvoa em Transição – Association for the Climate of Póvoa de Varzim
