Thessaloniki marks the starting point of the project
A major pan-European initiative was officially launched on 21 and 22 October 2025, with the Kick-off Meeting for the REHUBS project held in Thessaloniki. The REHUBS (“Rural Empowerment HUBS for climate resilience”) project is co-funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme. Its mission is to create climate-resilient rural areas that are better prepared for the impacts of climate change, while aligning with the European Union’s initiatives for the Green and Digital Transition under the European Green Deal and the EU’s long-term vision for rural areas. REHUBS brings together a broad, cross-sectoral consortium of 27 partners from 12 European countries.
The Need for Climate Adaptation
With extreme weather events becoming increasingly frequent across Europe, rural areas are particularly vulnerable, with significant socio-economic implications. Over 80% of European land is rural, home to more than 137 million people, underscoring its central role in achieving the EU’s 2030 climate goals and the 2050 Green Deal strategy. Yet, their strong dependence on climate-sensitive natural resources such as water and soil leaves rural communities particularly vulnerable to climate-related risks.
Dr. Anastasios Karakostas, R&D Director of DReVen and Project Coordinator, highlighted that REHUBS aims to empower rural communities to strengthen climate resilience, promote dual green and digital transition, and contribute to EU climate adaptation goals. To achieve this, a wide range of organisations with significant expertise in rural and sustainable development have joined forces.
REHUBS consortium partners are:
► Research and technology organisations and NGOs: DReVen (Greece), Fondazione Links (Italy), alchemia-nova (Austria),
► Non-profit civil protection associations: VOST Portugal (Portugal),
► Universities: Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Spain),
► Technology companies: eBOS (Cyprus), AgroApps (Greece), Aquatec (Spain), LearnWorlds (Cyprus), Arx.net (Greece), Nova (Greece),
► Water management organisations: Aigües de Barcelona (Spain), TOEB Tavropou (Greece),
► Innovation hubs: reframe.food (Greece), ITC – Innovation Technology Cluster (Slovenia), AgriFood Lithuania (Lithuania), Beta Via (Lithuania),
► Local authorities: Ajuntament de Manlleu (Spain), Municipality of Sofades (Greece), Comunidade Intermunicipal da Beira Baixa (Portugal), Šakiai District Municipality (Lithuania), Municipality of South Nicosia Idalion (Cyprus),
► Sustainability actors: ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (Germany), AEIDL (European Association for Innovation in Local Development) (Belgium), Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation (Switzerland), Murska Sobota Development Centre (Slovenia), and Public Institution REDEA (Croatia).
Practical Solutions to Empower Communities
REHUBS combines innovative technologies, tailored solutions, and community empowerment into an integrated framework. The project will develop practical, user-friendly tools and solutions to address the immediate needs of rural areas, helping communities improve their preparedness to manage climate risks more effectively. More specifically, the domains that the project will work to provide solutions for are:
- Climate Projections and Risk Assessment: The project utilises downscaled climate projection data through regional climate models to assess climate-related risks at the regional level
- Advanced Weather Modelling: Complements the climate projection assessment with advanced forecasting systems that deliver accurate short-term atmospheric data.
- Water Μanagement: Employs smart irrigation tools for efficient water use, alongside nature-based solutions for water recovery and valorisation.
- Flood and Drought Risk: Applies simulation models to evaluate and manage flood and drought risks.
- Fire Risk Management: Leverages AI technologies to provide timely alerts and detailed information for fire prevention and response.
- Biodiversity Monitoring & Enhancement: Harnesses the potential of UAV thermal cameras and AI-driven data analysis to address biodiversity challenges and support wildlife management, biodiversity conservation, and rural resilience.
In addition, a digital Risk Assessment and Adaptation Platform will consolidate all collected data and provide clear guidance to communities and local authorities.
The Concept of Rural Micro Hubs
At the heart of REHUBS are the four Rural Micro Hubs (RMHs), local centers established around four Demonstration Cases (or Demo Cases) for training, fostering peer-to-peer exchange, and collaboration across rural communities. Acting as Living Labs for innovation, these hubs will actively engage a wide range of stakeholders (farmers, local authorities, small and medium businesses, and others) whose feedback is essential to maximising the project’s impact. Moreover, the RMHs will act as “antennas” around the Demo Cases, facilitating knowledge transfer and fostering collaborations
The four Demo Cases will test the technological solutions developed by the project partners and applied in local communities. In particular:
• The Demo Case in Greece (Thessaly, Sofades, and Tavropos) will implement solutions for droughts, floods, and heatwaves, including smart irrigation systems, water reuse, and nature-based solutions.
• The Demo Case in Spain (Manlleu, Catalonia) will focus on early-warning and flood/drought risk management systems.
• The Demo Case in Portugal (Beira Baixa) will deploy AI-based fire monitoring systems.
• The Demo Case in Lithuania (Šakiai) will carry out biodiversity monitoring using drones and AI applications for sustainable land and wildlife management.
Additional pilot sites for the replication of the solutions have been established in Slovenia (Pomurje), Cyprus (South Nicosia), and Croatia (Međimurje), selected to represent rural territories facing water stress, degraded agricultural land, and insufficient financial capacity for climate adaptation, thereby allowing the project to validate its solutions under diverse but highly relevant conditions.
A Strong Vision for Climate-Resilient Communities
By combining innovation and knowledge across Europe, REHUBS aims to provide practical tools and support rural communities in building a sustainable present and future. The journey towards enhancing social and economic resilience in the face of climate change has just begun!
Follow us online: LinkedIn | Facebook | Bluesky | Slideshare | YouTube
Co-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 Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.