Albatross project

University of Geneva Hosts Final of the 2025 SDG Olympiad
2025-10-10 08:00 - 2025-10-13 17:00 (Europe/London)
From 10 to 13 October 2025, the University of Geneva will host the grand final and award ceremony of the SDG Olympiad, an international student-driven competition dedicated to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
On Friday, 10 October, the 14 finalist teams, half of which are from Africa and the rest from Europe and Asia, will pitch their projects to an expert jury at the SDG Solution Space. The winning team will be announced the same day, while the weekend will be dedicated to activities, workshops, and visits designed to foster collaboration and exchange among participants.
Launched in 2024 by a network of 12 universities, the SDG Olympiad is coordinated by student teams in Geneva and Nairobi, supported by their institutions and initiatives such as the EU ALBATROSS project. This year, more than 700 students worldwide, from bachelor’s to PhD levels, have taken part.
Participants joined the Olympiad through two tracks: the SDG Innovation Events, short-term educational programs such as hackathons, summer schools, innovation labs, and courses organised by partner universities, or the Global Challenge Track, which are self-organised teams responding to challenges proposed by Global Citizen, one of the SDG Olympiad partner.
Top-performing 14 teams advanced to represent their regions in the global final. The topics covered by these reflect remarkable diversity, ranging from projects aimed at providing specific products or resources derived from food residues, such as mosquito repellents, sanitary products, biogas or high-value biogels and biofilms, to initiatives oriented to nature and environmental protection (e.g., wetland restoration, track of deforestation) or the development of a language-learning platform for the preservation of endangered languages. The complete list of 14 finalists is available on the SDG Olympiad website:
Beyond competition, the Olympiad is oriented to drive real impact. Through collaboration, mentorship, and creative problem-solving, participants have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful change on a global scale. The winning team will receive dedicated support to scale their solution to the next level.
This is the second edition of the SDG Olympiad, following its 2024 debut in Paris. In 2026, the Olympiad will move to Africa, hosted by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana.

Become a Climate Resilience Trainer-webinar-1
2026-04-27 10:00
Webinar No 1: The Basics of Nature-based Solutions (NBS)

The ALBATROSS project is launching a Training of Trainers initiative across five African countries to help vulnerable communities move beyond traditional coping mechanisms that are no longer sufficient against escalating climate shocks. By integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) with data-driven Climate Services (CS), this program empowers local leaders to build long-term resilience and protect food, water, and economic security. The objectives pursued are:

Build Technical Proficiency in NBS: Enable participants to understand and communicate how healthy ecosystems can be leveraged for protective and regenerative functions, offering sustainable alternatives to conventional engineered infrastructure.

Develop Applied Skills in CS: Equip participants with the ability to interpret and disseminate scientific climate data and forecasts, facilitating proactive decision-making in sectors such as agriculture, pastoralism, fisheries, and urban planning.

Foster Integrated Application: Demonstrate the synergistic potential of combining ecological restoration with climate intelligence to build comprehensive community resilience.

By the end of this program, participants will be equipped not only with technical knowledge but also with the practical skills and confidence to train others, empowering communities to use the twin tools of nature’s wisdom and climate science to build a more resilient future.
The first session will focus on NbS, deepening on their potential for disaster risk reduction, their contribution to sustainable agriculture and the importance of involving private owners in the implementation of NbS in their lands.

Understanding Nature-Based Solutions: Beyond Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction in Dar es Salaam
Prof. Wilbard Kombe, Institute of Human Settlements Studies (IHSS), Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Dr. Florence Muheirwe: Postdoc Researcher at the Institute of Human Settlement Studies, Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam. Her work is based on the Listen, Learn, and Leap project—coproducing nature-based solutions in East Africa. Her research focuses on climate change, nature-based solutions, and solid waste management and policy issues.

In the literature, nature-based solutions have predominantly been categorised into green, grey, blue, and hybrid types based on physical ecological attributes, with little attention paid to non-physical, integrated, beneficial aspects. This categorisation however does not fully capture the plural and socio-economic realities of NbS particularly in urban low-income communities. In this paper we build on the contestation surrounding the NbS categorisation, through a rapid assessment, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, we question solutions to what and how to profile NbS, as understood by communities and stakeholders. The findings of NbS in Dar es Salaam city demonstrate the role of nature and community leadership in addressing not only the climate change risks but also serve as solutions to meet local communities’ social, ecological, and economic needs. Understanding and appreciating these typologies in their multiple dimensions provides critical entry point for academic discourse, for stakeholders in the co-designing, assessment, and scaling-up nature-based solutions beyond hitherto dominant ecological principles.

Building Resilience with Nature: The Power of Nature-Based Solutions in Agriculture
Ms Dorcas Owusuaa Agyei, head of IUCN’s Ghana Project Office/Coordinator NbS Guinean Forest ProjectThe IUCN defines Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems in ways that address societal challenges—such as climate change, food and water security, and natural disasters—while simultaneously enhancing human well-being and biodiversity (WCC 2016, Resolution 06). NbS are increasingly recognized as sustainable approaches to agriculture due to their triple benefits: improved long-term food security and farmer livelihoods, strengthened climate resilience through mitigation and adaptation, and enhanced biodiversity.In farming systems, practices such as agroforestry, conservation agriculture, crop rotation, mixed cropping, organic fertilization (including composting and biochar), and integrated pest and disease management improve soil fertility, increase water retention, and build resilience to climate variability. In pasture management, rotational and multispecies grazing, silvopastoral systems, and wetland restoration reduce land degradation, enhance biodiversity, and support carbon sequestration.In fisheries, mangrove restoration, sustainable aquaculture, and protection of breeding grounds restore aquatic ecosystems while sustaining livelihoods. In apiculture, habitat restoration, planting native flowering species, agroecological farming, and reduced pesticide use improve pollinator health and productivity.Overall, NbS provide scalable, cost-effective, and long-term solutions, hence should be mainstreamed across agricultural and allied sectors for optimum benefits.
Nature-based Solution in Spatial Planning
Prof. Stefan Greiving, TU Dortmund University, Research Group: Regional Development and Risk Management.The presentation focuses on mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions (NBS) into spatial planning, with a special emphasis on utilizing private land. It argues that NBS need a stronger evidence base, are highly place-specific, and require local capacity building. Using the Land4Climate project as a framework, it demonstrates climate risk assessments and impact chains to identify effective “no-regret” measures. Simulations show the quantifiable benefits of interventions like tiny forests (reducing heat stress) and reforestation (mitigating floods). However, implementing NBS on private land presents unique challenges: it complicates sequential engineering, demands investment certainty for authorities, and is hindered by diverse landowner interests. The presentation concludes that dedicated public policies and adapted funding schemes are essential to activate private landowners and successfully upscale NBS for climate resilience.

Do not miss the opportunity to learn from top-level experts. Click here for registration/to access the webinar: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJSWTqogIchafVMtjmOMT3Eakbpu_MY5j3mgYqAS5Q7-hjmw/viewform

Become a Climate Resilience Trainer-webinar-2
2026-06-02 10:00 | online
Webinar No 2: Co-production and Implementation of Nature-based Solutions

The ALBATROSS project is launching a Training of Trainers initiative across five African countries to help vulnerable communities move beyond traditional coping mechanisms that are no longer sufficient against escalating climate shocks. By integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) with data-driven Climate Services (CS), this program empowers local leaders to build long-term resilience and protect food, water, and economic security. The objectives pursued are:

Build Technical Proficiency in NBS: Enable participants to understand and communicate how healthy ecosystems can be leveraged for protective and regenerative functions, offering sustainable alternatives to conventional engineered infrastructure.

Develop Applied Skills in CS: Equip participants with the ability to interpret and disseminate scientific climate data and forecasts, facilitating proactive decision-making in sectors such as agriculture, pastoralism, fisheries, and urban planning.

Foster Integrated Application: Demonstrate the synergistic potential of combining ecological restoration with climate intelligence to build comprehensive community resilience.

By the end of this program, participants will be equipped not only with technical knowledge but also with the practical skills and confidence to train others, empowering communities to use the twin tools of nature’s wisdom and climate science to build a more resilient future.
The second session uses the case of the EU project LAND4CLIMATE and explores strategies for effective multi-actor collaboration, co-production of knowledge and overcoming language barriers. Also demonstrates a case of NbS implementation on private rural land in flood- and drought-prone Euskirchen district, highlighting three measures (Miscanthus buffers, Tiny Forest, depaving) and fostering private landowner stewardship for climate adaptation and biodiversity.

Effective Collaboration for Climate Adaptation Action: The Case of LAND4CLIMATE
Sophie Holtkötter, research associate, Research Group for Regional Development and Risk Management at TU Dortmund University

The presentation draws on experiences from the EU research project LAND4CLIMATE to explore how diverse actors can effectively collaborate on climate adaptation. It showcases cooperation with practice partners from municipal and county administrations, water management and national park authorities, NGOs, and landowners, including farmers and business representatives. Central to the talk is the design and facilitation of an interactive Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) workshop involving academic and practice partners from six countries, aimed at identifying stakeholder-approved measures. The presentation highlights practical approaches to co-producing knowledge and navigating language barriers in a complex, multi-actor research environment.

Implementation of nature-based solutions (NbS) on private land by a regional public administration in a rural county in Germany
Jonathan Schulze, Project Manager of Land4Climate for the County of Euskirchen, Team County Development and PlanningThis presentation is based on the EU “Land4Climate” project and aims to provide insights into how nature-based solutions can be implemented on private land in a rural region of continental Europe that is particularly affected by flooding, heavy rainfall, and droughts. It highlights the challenges, opportunities, and obstacles in the practical implementation of nature-based solutions (NbS) in the district of Euskirchen. Three exemplary measures are highlighted: the cultivation of Miscanthus as a vegetative buffer zone to mitigate flooding and droughts; the creation of a 380 m² “Tiny Forest” to improve urban cooling, biodiversity, and social awareness; and a partnership with homeowners to remove impervious surfaces in order to restore natural water infiltration and reduce heat stress. The presentation highlights the positive side effects for climate adaptation, biodiversity, and local engagement, as well as the question of how private landowners can become active supporters and long-term stewards of these NbS on their private properties.
Do not miss the opportunity to learn from top-level experts. Click here for registration/to access the webinar: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJSWTqogIchafVMtjmOMT3Eakbpu_MY5j3mgYqAS5Q7-hjmw/viewform

Become a Climate Resilience Trainer-webinar-3
2026-07-29 10:00 - 12:00 | online
Webinar No 3: Linking socio-productive baselines, operational monitoring and farmer-facing climate services

The ALBATROSS project is launching a Training of Trainers initiative across five African countries to help vulnerable communities move beyond traditional coping mechanisms that are no longer sufficient against escalating climate shocks. By integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) with data-driven Climate Services (CS), this program empowers local leaders to build long-term resilience and protect food, water, and economic security.
This presentation will share ongoing work from the ALBATROSS Tamatave Hub in eastern Madagascar on linking socio-productive baseline data, operational monitoring and farmer-facing climate services through the NBAT Tool and the AgriSupport application. Based on data from 152 farmers across Toamasina region, the current dashboard visualises farmer profiles, crop diversity, ALBATROSS areas, existing productive lands and farmer typologies. The application is being designed with a double purpose: to support the project team in monitoring agroforestry implementation, and to provide farmers, field technicians and trained lead farmers with accessible information on their farms, climate conditions and practical adaptation recommendations. The next development phase aims to track the full implementation chain on each degraded ALBATROSS plot, including cleaning, terracing, planting holes, seedling distribution, short-term crops, planting, maintenance, tree survival and production monitoring. The presentation will discuss how NBAT and AgriSupport can jointly support more targeted adaptation planning, climate services delivery and long-term monitoring of agroforestry-based adaptation trajectories in the Tamatave Hub.

Dr. Arthur Bostvironnois, Eastern Coast Project Coordinator, Tamatave Hub – EU ALBATROSS Project, Adaptation Climatique et Transition Agricole Platform (ACTA), Bôndy International
Arthur Bostvironnois is a geographer and Regional Coordinator for Bôndy International in Toamasina, Madagascar. He coordinates the Tamatave Hub of the European ALBATROSS project, focusing on climate services, nature-based solutions and agroforestry-based adaptation with local farmers and territorial stakeholders. His work combines political ecology, participatory approaches, field coordination, socio-productive monitoring and applied research on climate resilience. He is particularly interested in linking farm-level data, stakeholder knowledge and operational monitoring tools to better understand and support adaptation trajectories in vulnerable rural territories.

Milan Kalas, Vision Holder / Managing Director, KAJO
Milan Kalas is a hydrologist and disaster risk management expert at KAJO Services, an ICT consultancy developing operational tools and services for climate resilience, emergency management and adaptation. With around twenty years of experience across Copernicus Emergency Management Service applications, his work spans flood forecasting and impact-based early warning, the integration of Earth observation, citizen science and IoT data, and the delivery of practical climate services to end users. Within the ALBATROSS project, he contributes to the technical development of the NBAT tool, climate services, citizen science and impact-based forecasting, designing dashboards, data pipelines and climate services that turn socio-productive baselines and field monitoring into accessible adaptation information across the project’s hubs

Do not miss the opportunity to learn from top-level experts. Click here for registration/to access the webinar: https://forms.gle/ydoUCbiHFqcftYJv7
