The Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Insular Coastal Dynamics (ICoD) forms part of a network of specialised centres operating under the aegis of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement of the Council of Europe. EUR-OPA serves as a platform for cooperation between European and Southern Mediterranean countries in the field of major natural and technological hazards.

Established in 1988 at the Foundation for International Studies, ICoD became part of the Institute of Earth Systems in 2008, where it continues to contribute to the Institute’s programme of research, education, and capacity-building initiatives.

ICoD’s current research focus is on water resources in semi-arid coastal environments, with particular emphasis on understanding and managing the pressures of climate variability, population growth, and economic development on limited freshwater supplies. The Centre supports adaptation to hydroclimatic extremes - such as droughts and floods - through the study and application of unconventional water supplies, managed aquifer recharge, agricultural water management, and soil moisture monitoring.

The activities carried out by ICoD aim to:

• promote international cooperation between academia, government authorities and civil society through symposia, conferences, workshops and training programmes,
• advance research on coastal and insular processes across the Euro-Mediterranean region, with particular attention to the human–environment interface and water resource management,
• support civil protection and adaptation strategies to mitigate hydroclimatic and coastal risks, and
• foster public awareness and academic engagement on pressing environmental challenges through knowledge sharing, networking and dissemination of research outcomes.

For more information, contact Dr Julian Mamo, Head of ICoD, by phone or email.