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Mainstreaming Ecological Restoration of freshwater-related ecosystems in a Landscape context: INnovation, upscaling and transformation

Europe's environment is in an alarming state, with climate change expected to further aggravate the situation. This poses severe threats to economic prosperity, human wellbeing and social peace – our society needs systemic transformative change.

Ecosystem restoration is key to this change, and freshwaters play an important role: the restoration of streams, rivers, peatlands and wetlands has a long tradition and offers an extensive knowledge base – freshwaters are ideal demonstrators of the necessary change.

The MERLIN project commits to transformative ecosystem restoration, mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions for the urgent systemic change of our society.

Freshwater, Wetlands, and Sponge Landscapes for Resilient Europe: Policy Insights from Flagship Project

10 March 2026 · 13:00–17:00 CET · Maison de la Poste, Brussels (Hybrid)

Co-organised by MERLIN · WaterLANDS · SpongeScapes · SpongeWorks

About the Event

Europe is entering a decisive phase in implementing the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR). This joint policy event presents key insights from four Horizon flagship projects and offers a space for exchange with EU and national decision makers.

More information & registration

What MERLIN does

Demonstrating best-practice restoration

For 18 flagship restoration projects across Europe, MERLIN explores social, economic and environmental success factors, generating a blueprint for the proficient implementation of Nature-based Solutions suited for immediate replication.

With investing more than 10 million € in further hands-on upscaling measures, MERLIN upgrades these 18 projects into radiant beacons of innovation for the systemic change.

Case studies

Upscaling into broader landscapes

MERLIN identifies landscapes with high potential and priority for transformative restoration, particularly focusing on essential ecosystem services, biodiversity targets, and climate change mitigation and adaption.

MERLIN illustrates environmental value chains as well as costs and benefits of Nature-based Solutions for selected European regions. This economic analysis demonstrates the opportunities for green business resulting from transformative restoration.

Upscaling

Engaging with investors and economic sectors

MERLIN delineates models for private investment into restoration alongside public funding, tailored to contexts specific for economic sectors and countries.

MERLIN’s initiatives maximize synergies across economic sectors, and transparently mediate trade-offs where necessary.

Sectoral activity

Win-win solutions to mainstream restoration

MERLIN closely collaborates with local communities and key economic sectors such as agriculture, water supply, navigation and insurance industry. Main focus is to co-develop win-win solutions spearheading systemic economic, social and environmental change.

Mainstreaming

MERLIN Marketplace and Academy

The MERLIN Marketplace connects restoration actors, offers restoration-related services, and brokers restoration financing. The MERLIN Academy multiplies the knowledge to mainstream freshwater restoration, addressing the community of practice, restoration project convenors, communities, investors and policy makers.

Academy & webinars

Partners in MERLIN

MERLIN is a ‘research and innovation action’ funded under the European Commission’s H2020 programme. MERLIN involves 46 partners from across Europe, including universities, research institutes, nature conservation organizations, and stakeholders from business, government, and municipalities.

Merlin partners

MERLIN policy briefs

The Benefits of Nature-based Solutions: evidence using a systemic monitoring approach

Scaling up Nature-based Solutions (NbS) is central to the societal transformation required to tackle interconnected challenges such as climate impacts, water risks, and biodiversity loss. Yet implementation remains constrained by limited, robust evidence on how NbS deliver the societal benefits they promise—especially improvements in climate resilience to floods and droughts, and measurable gains in biodiversity.

This Policy Brief presents a systemic monitoring approach for NbS that captures their environmental and socio-economic performance across broad sustainable-development objectives and major economic sectors. Applying this framework to 18 freshwater restoration case studies across Europe — each guided by the IUCN Global Standard for NbS — we demonstrate how diverse and heterogeneous data can be synthesised into coherent, actionable evidence. The results show how consistent monitoring strengthens confidence in the effectiveness, co-benefits, and upscaling potential of NbS.

Download policy brief More policy briefs

MERLIN webinars

The MERLIN webinar series has come to an end. There were more than 35 hours of excellent presentations by >45 experts, fruitful discussions and countless questions answered, covering a wide range of topics in the fields of economic prosperity, human wellbeing, transformative ecosystem restoration and the mainstreaming of Nature-based Solutions.

Recordings of all webinars