ISMED-CLIM Shares Approaches for Reaching Vulnerable Groups at EU Mission Adaptation Webinar

On 9 July 2026, ISMED-CLIM contributed to the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change webinar “Climate, Health and Well-being: Putting Health at the Heart of Climate Adaptation,” organised by the Mission Implementation Platform for Adaptation to Climate Change (MIP4Adapt).

The online event brought together stakeholders working across climate adaptation, public health and social resilience to explore how health considerations can be more systematically integrated into climate adaptation planning and action.

As part of the session “Reaching vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups,” Dr Panayiotis Kouis, member of the ISMED-CLIM project management team, presented the project’s experience in engaging populations that can be particularly vulnerable to climate-related health risks.

Reaching the People Most at Risk

The presentation, titled “Reaching Vulnerable and Hard-to-Reach Groups,” focused on the methods and tools used by ISMED-CLIM during the first year of the project to engage three key population groups:

  • Pregnant women
  • Outdoor workers
  • Older adults with hypertension

These groups are at the centre of three ISMED-CLIM Living Labs investigating how climate-related risks, particularly extreme heat, can affect health and how targeted interventions and communication can support prevention and adaptation.

The presentation highlighted the project’s experience with participant engagement and recruitment, including practical approaches used to reach the target groups and involve them in Living Lab activities. It also shared early lessons from the first year of implementation, providing insights into some of the challenges associated with reaching and maintaining the involvement of populations with different needs, circumstances and levels of vulnerability.

From Engagement to More Inclusive Climate Adaptation

Meaningful engagement is an important part of developing climate-health solutions that work in practice. By involving target groups directly, ISMED-CLIM aims to ensure that the tools, communication approaches and interventions developed within the project reflect the needs and everyday realities of the people they are designed to support.

Participation in the MIP4Adapt webinar also provided an opportunity to share this experience with the wider EU Mission Adaptation community and contribute to the discussion on how climate adaptation strategies can better account for health, vulnerability and social inclusion.

The webinar recording is now available online.

Watch the recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48n2LXI-YNo