OPERANDUM – Open-air laboratories to manage hydro-meteorological risks

OPERANDUM project aims to reduce hydro-meteorological risks in European territories through co-designed, co-developed, deployed, tested and demonstrated innovative green and blue/grey/hybrid Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), and push business exploitation. In Finland, research and development focuses on NBSs to reduce nutrient and sediment loads in different climate conditions in Lake Puruvesi area. In addition, the FMI evaluates usability and benefits of NBSs in Europe.

OPERANDUM project logo

Project description:

OPERANDUM aims to provide evidence for the usability of nature-based solutions (NBS), best practices for their design, replication and scalability. It has the following objectives:

  • Integrate knowledge about NBS efficacy against hydro-meteorological risks

  • Strengthen technology innovation in the area of NBS

  • Improve the acceptance of NBS based implementation

  • Enhance the market demand and increase of competitiveness of NBSs

  • Strengthen the adoption of NBS in national policies

It aims provision of science-evidence for the usability of NBS and best practices for their design based on participatory processes.  It foresees a multiple level of stakeholder engagement from the local community up to the international level to leverage widest possible NBS acceptance to promote its diffusion as a good practice.  Moreover, the project establishes the framework for the strengthening of NBS-based policies according to local legislation and promotes technology and innovation in NBS to create a European leadership.

In Finland, the FMI and Luke study the change of nutrient and sediment loads in different climate conditions in Lake Puruvesi area. To reduce the loading, nature-based solutions are planned and deployed together with local stakeholders. Together with the modellers of the LIFE IP FRESHABIT project the impacts of climate change and different forest management measures to inland waters are simulated. In addition, the FMI evaluates usability and benefits of NBSs in Europe.

Project information

Project duration: 1.7.2018–30.6.2022

Partners26 partners from 14 countries, including Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) and Finnish Natural Resource Institute (Luke) from Finland

Project web page: https://www.operandum-project.eu/

Funding: European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 776848

More information

Heikki Tuomenvirta Tel. +358 295 394 122 E-mail: firstname.lastname@fmi.fi