New policy brief outlines how EU policies can better support sponge restoration

Europe's water and climate resilience is under increasing pressure, with degraded soils, drained catchments and the loss of wetlands intensifying droughts and contributing to more destructive floods. In response, the EU-funded projects SpongeBoost, SpongeWorks and SpongeScapes have published a joint policy brief, "Achieving Better Implementation of EU Policies by Restoring the Sponge Function." The brief provides recommendations to strengthen Europe's water and climate resilience by restoring the natural sponge function of landscapes—the ability of soils, wetlands, forests and floodplains to absorb, store and slowly release water. Together, the three sister projects combine policy guidance, scientific evidence and real-world implementation to advance sponge landscapes across Europe.