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Two days of discussion on wetland-based solutions for carbon sequestration and flood risk reduction. MEDSEA presented the results from the Marceddì–San Giovanni pilot site together with representatives of the Regional Agency of the Sardinian River Basin District.

On 16 and 17 June 2026, the final meeting of the Interreg Euro-MED Wetland4Change project took place in the heart of the Camargue. The project focuses on the role of wetlands in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Hosted by the Tour du Valat research institute near Arles, the project’s second and final Living Lab brought together scientific partners, public authorities, experts and representatives from the pilot territories to share the results achieved and discuss how the tools developed could be integrated into Mediterranean policies and planning processes.

The MEDSEA Foundation participated as the partner responsible for the activities implemented in Sardinia and for project communication, presenting the work carried out in the Marceddì–San Giovanni lagoon system in the Oristano area.

Wetlands as natural infrastructure for climate resilience

Wetland4Change is coordinated by the University of Forestry in Sofia and involves the University of Valencia, the University of Málaga, the Greek Biotope-Wetland Centre – EKBY, Tour du Valat and the MEDSEA Foundation.

The project aims to develop and validate nature-based solutions capable of strengthening two essential services provided by wetlands: their capacity to store carbon and their ability to retain and slow down water, thereby contributing to flood risk reduction.

The methodologies were tested in five different Euro-Mediterranean contexts: the Struma River Basin in Bulgaria, the Strymon River Basin and Lake Kerkini in Greece, Albufera Natural Park in Spain, Marceddì–San Giovanni in Sardinia and the Camargue in France. The results were incorporated into a shared platform dedicated to wetland-based climate solutions.

The first day of the Living Lab compared the scientific methodologies and main results obtained across the five sites through two sessions dedicated respectively to carbon sequestration and flood regulation.

Results from the Marceddì–San Giovanni pilot site

For the Sardinian pilot site, Manuela Puddu of the MEDSEA Foundation presented the results of the activities focused on carbon sequestration capacity.

The area analysed comprises a complex system of rivers, lagoons and salt marshes, including Marceddì Lagoon, San Giovanni Pond and Corru S’Ittiri Pond. The system extends across the municipalities of Terralba, Arborea, Guspini and Arbus and forms part of the governance framework established by the Oristano Marine and Coastal Wetlands Contract.

During the project, innovative methodologies were applied to assess the ecosystem services provided by wetlands and understand how their conservation status and hydrological management affect their capacity to absorb carbon, regulate water and support the territory’s climate resilience.

The work reaffirmed a central principle: wetlands are not only habitats to be protected, but genuine natural infrastructure capable of performing functions that directly affect the safety of communities, economic activities and infrastructure.

One of the project’s most significant results was the development of a tool that integrates very high-resolution satellite imagery, local territorial data and geographic analysis systems.

The tool makes it possible to identify areas where natural ecosystems can contribute most effectively to retaining water, reducing surface runoff and slowing its movement during extreme weather events.

The methodology assesses the supply of the ecosystem service—that is, the territory’s capacity to regulate floods—and compares it with demand, represented by the presence of communities, infrastructure and productive activities exposed to risk. This makes it possible to identify the areas where conservation, restoration or changes in land management could generate the greatest benefits.

The aim is not to replace traditional flood risk prevention tools, but to integrate a more comprehensive assessment of the contribution provided by ecosystems into planning processes.

Dialogue with the Sardinian River Basin District

Within Wetland4Change, MEDSEA worked with the Regional Agency of the Sardinian River Basin District to explore issues related to flood risk planning and the role of Wetlands Contracts as participatory governance tools.

Giovanni Cocco and Francesca Maria Dettori represented the Agency at the meeting in the Camargue. Both are involved in flood risk planning and management and in promoting wetlands as natural tools for climate change adaptation.

This dialogue is particularly important as the Agency is currently working on the third planning cycle of the Flood Risk Management Plan, which will define the new mapping of risk areas and management measures for the 2028–2033 period.

The results of Wetland4Change can help broaden the knowledge base supporting these decisions by introducing new methods for collecting, integrating and interpreting data on the ecosystem services provided by wetlands.

Marina Campolmi attended on behalf of the Regional Department of Agriculture and Agro-Pastoral Reform. A marine biologist and technical officer within the Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, she coordinates the Regulation, Research and Development unit.

Within Wetland4Change, the Service contributed to mapping and analysing the management of fishing concessions in Sardinia’s lagoons.

This work is particularly important because a significant proportion of the concessions fall within Natura 2000 network sites managed by the Region of Sardinia. Productive activities must therefore be compatible with the conservation objectives established for protected habitats and species.

The project also provided an opportunity to discuss lagoon co-management models based on collaboration among the Region, Natura 2000 site managers, fishing communities and the research sector.

The objective is to improve the management of lagoon complexes through a shared approach that recognises fishers not only as economic operators, but also as key actors in protecting natural heritage.

From experimentation to the transfer of solutions

The final part of the meeting focused on transferring the results and on the conditions required to make the methodologies applicable beyond the five pilot sites.

The Transfer Plan developed by the project provides a basis for progressively integrating wetland conservation into climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Its purpose is not to propose an identical model for every territory, but to provide methods, data and criteria that can be adapted to different administrative, environmental and socioeconomic contexts.

The discussion highlighted the need to establish more stable links among institutions, planning tools, data, financial resources and administrative procedures. One of the perspectives identified was the creation of a Mediterranean community of practice capable of supporting the exchange of experience, training and mutual assistance among wetland managers and public decision-makers.

The second day concluded with a visit to the Camargue pilot site and a demonstration of the techniques used to measure greenhouse gas emissions and removals in wetlands.

It marked a transition from modelling to the real landscape, reminding participants that behind maps, satellite data and planning tools are living ecosystems capable of providing concrete responses to some of the most visible effects of the climate crisis.

With Wetland4Change drawing to a close, the work now enters its most complex phase: turning methodologies and pilot activities into tools that are effectively adopted by public authorities. The knowledge has been produced and is now available. The challenge will be to integrate it into the decisions that will shape the future of wetlands and the ability of Mediterranean territories to adapt to climate change.