BLOSSOM – Innovative Financing Solutions for Urban Climate Transformation

Full project title: The BLOSSOM Innovative Approach based on Bankable Transformative Climate Solutions in order to Improve Sustainable Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Measures

Funding programme: Horizon Europe – EU Mission: Adaptation to Climate Change

Grant agreement number: 101214563

Project duration: 1 June 2025 – 31 May 2029

Official project website: blossom-project.eu

About the project

BLOSSOM is an international research and innovation project funded under the Horizon Europe programme. It aims to develop and implement innovative, economically sustainable solutions that support European cities and regions in adapting to climate change and mitigating its impacts.

The central idea of the project is to combine climate resilience measures with modern financing mechanisms that can increase private capital investment in climate-related projects. Particular emphasis is placed on developing bankable climate solutions: initiatives that deliver environmental and social benefits while also demonstrating sound economic and financial potential.

The project brings together cities, research institutions, businesses, the financial sector and local communities through Living Labs and Communities of Practice. It also draws on advanced digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, Digital Twins and performance monitoring systems based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

The solutions developed will be tested and refined in cooperation with European cities and regions, and subsequently made available as methods, models and tools that can be applied in other parts of Europe.

Project leadership and research team at the University of Economics in Katowice 

BLOSSOM activities at the University of Economics in Katowice are led by Dr Sylwia Słupik of the Department of Social, Economic and Environmental Policy. She serves as the University’s project team leader and leads Work Package 5 (WP5) – Set up and Maintain Financial-Driven Living Labs.

The project is implemented by an interdisciplinary research team bringing together staff from different units of the University of Economics in Katowice, whose areas of expertise complement one another.

Project leader at the University of Economics in Katowice:

Dr Sylwia Słupik – Department of Social, Economic and Environmental Policy; WP5 Leader.

Project team:

• dr hab. Monika Wieczorek-Kosmala, prof. UE
• dr hab. Aleksandra Nocoń, prof. UE
• dr Justyna Majewska
• dr Joanna Trzęsiok
• mgr Ilona Ptak

The team combines expertise in climate and energy policy, environmental economics, finance and sustainable investment, management, socio-economic analysis, and quantitative methods. Its interdisciplinary profile enables a comprehensive approach to the challenges of urban climate transformation, integrating environmental, social, economic and financial perspectives.

International consortium and pilot cities

BLOSSOM is implemented by an international, interdisciplinary consortium bringing together partners from 12 European countries. The project is coordinated by The Lisbon Council (Belgium).

The consortium brings together organisations representing different fields of expertise and activity:

• Universities and research institutions – including the University of Economics in Katowice, the University of Birmingham, the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS), and INOV.
• Financial and insurance institutions – Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, Fidelidade, and the Green Digital Finance Alliance.
• Technology and consulting companies – including Deloitte Cyprus, EXUS, Plegma Labs, and RISA.
• Organisations working on climate policy and sustainable development – Climate-KIC, Climate Alliance, and The Lisbon Council.
• Municipal authorities and regional development organisations – including Birmingham, Lisbon, Kielce, Parma, Aarhus, Newham, and ADRAL from the Alentejo region.

A distinctive feature of the consortium is its combination of scientific, technological and financial expertise with the practical experience of local authorities responsible for implementing climate adaptation measures. Financial and insurance institutions play an important role in developing investment models that can attract greater private capital participation in financing urban climate transformation.

Pilot cities and regions

The project involves European cities and regions acting as demonstration and replication sites.

Front Runner Cities: Birmingham (United Kingdom), Lisbon (Portugal), and Kielce (Poland). These cities will develop and test innovative climate resilience solutions, financing models, and tools supporting investment planning and evaluation.

Follower Cities / Replicating Case Studies: Newham in London (United Kingdom), Parma (Italy), Aarhus (Denmark), and Evora in the Alentejo region (Portugal). Their role is to draw on the experience of the Front Runner Cities to develop their own scenarios and implementation plans for climate solutions tailored to local circumstances.

This model of cooperation allows the project to test its methods in different socio-economic, climatic and institutional contexts and assess their potential for wider application in other European cities and regions.

Role and responsibilities of the research team

Under the leadership of Dr Sylwia Słupik, the University of Economics in Katowice project team coordinates WP5 – Set up and Maintain Financial-Driven Living Labs. This work package aims to support the development of innovative financing mechanisms for urban climate adaptation measures and to establish a basis for assessing their effectiveness and long-term sustainability.

The team’s work focuses on integrating economic, financial, environmental and social perspectives into the planning and evaluation of climate investments.

Its main areas of activity include:

• Coordination of WP5 and international cooperation – managing the implementation of work package activities, collaborating with consortium partners and participating cities, and supporting the development of Financial-Driven Living Labs as spaces for co-creating climate solutions with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Development of local baseline assessments – analysing the environmental, social, economic, financial and institutional conditions of demonstration and replication cities, providing a reference point for planning measures and evaluating their subsequent outcomes.
• Development and validation of the KPI framework – establishing a coherent system for monitoring progress in climate transformation, assessing the impacts of planned and implemented solutions, identifying data gaps and comparing results across cities.
• Cooperation with cities and experts – conducting consultations with city partners, external experts and specialists from different thematic areas to adapt analytical methods and tools to local needs and data availability.
• Supporting the development of financing models and climate investment assessment – using baseline findings and KPIs to inform decisions on the selection, financing and monitoring of solutions that strengthen urban climate resilience.

Another important aspect of the team’s work is the development of methodologies for assessing not only the direct environmental effects of interventions, but also their broader socio-economic benefits, financial potential and transferability to other European cities.

Through these activities, the University of Economics in Katowice research team makes a significant contribution to the development of decision-support tools for climate transformation, linking academic research with the practical needs of local authorities and the financial sector.

Funding: The BLOSSOM project is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme, Grant Agreement No. 101214563. The project also receives funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).