RESCUE project holds mid-term partners meeting in Trieste

Partners in the EU-funded RESCUE project (Resources in Coastal groundwater Under hydroclimatic Extremes) convened from 8-10 September 2025 at the University of Trieste, marking the project’s mid-term review and planning session. RESCUE aims to address water scarcity in coastal regions by exploring deep, low-salinity aquifers. The project will map these aquifers, assess their sustainability, and develop policies for their use. This will help secure freshwater supplies for consumption, agriculture, and industry, especially during droughts.

The meeting gathered representatives from the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Ruden AS, University of Malta, University of Derby, and others to assess technical, legal, social, and economic progress and to chart the path forward.

A key outcome of the meeting was agreement on upcoming deliverables, notably a five-part podcast series recorded with consortium partners. The project, which runs from March 2024 to February 2027, seeks to deepen our understanding of offshore and deep onshore low-salinity aquifers in European coastal areas. Its goals include evaluating new sources of freshwater to support populations and industries under hydroclimatic stress.

RESCUE aims to provide foundations for evidence-based policy at regional and local levels, while producing outcomes with relevance across Europe and similar coastal zones globally.

Prof. Sebastiano D’Amico and Dr Ariel Thomas from the Department of Geosciences attended the meeting. Dr Thomas joined to contribute insights, especially on offshore freshwater resources.