UNDERPIN actively participated at this year’s European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly in Vienna, which is among Europe’s top conferences for geosciences, gathering around 20,027 scientists, policymakers, and practitioners to exchange on disciplines like Earth, planetary and space sciences.
With its focus on technical climate measurement, which involves relying on Earth observation data and other novel data source, it made sense for UNDERPIN to join and learn from the exchange on science, policy, and practice available through this intensive event week.
On 6 May, UNDERPIN, convened a well-attended panel session “Measuring Climate Adaptation – from processes to real impacts” convened by IIASA, with Fresh Thoughts Consulting, HEC Paris, CMCC, and adelphi as co-convening partners. The session’s strong turnout reflected a growing appetite for robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) and signalled that the field is entering a phase of increased consolidation and ambition.
Discussions highlighted the breadth of ongoing work, much of which remains focused on specific national contexts, sectors, or types of adaptation measures. At the same time, several contributions pointed toward emerging efforts to harmonise and standardise MEL approaches across scales. Beyond methodological frameworks for assessing adaptation effectiveness, the session also explored critical dimensions such as maladaptation, the need for transformative change, and persistent challenges related to data availability and quality.
The panel was followed by an interactive poster session showcasing UNDERPIN’s work on developing an outcome-oriented indicator framework for measuring adaptation effectiveness in Europe. The poster outlined the project’s approach to identifying and compiling adaptation outcome indicators, drawing interest from a diverse audience of researchers and practitioners. Conversations revealed a shared challenge across the community: moving beyond tracking inputs and outputs to capturing the real-world outcomes of adaptation actions. Visitors described UNDERPIN as an ambitious and timely initiative and expressed strong interest in following its progress. Constructive exchanges also raised important methodological questions, including how to account for co-benefits and how to address attribution.
Looking back, the event provided a valuable platform to exchange insights, identify common challenges, and strengthen connections among those working to advance adaptation measurement. It underscored the importance of continued collaboration to ensure that climate adaptation efforts are not only implemented but effectively measured and understood.
Stay tuned as UNDERPIN actively participates in a number of high-level gatherings, including the International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation in the Philippines (CBA20), the European Urban Resilience Forum in Portugal, and the European Space Agency & Joint Research Centre Joint meeting in the United Kingdom in the next few weeks and months.