Research project The project addresses climate adaptation, preparedness and self-sufficiency in cold climates. By establishing physical pilot environments for decentralised water supply, climate-adapted cultivation, and collective processing and storage, concrete solutions are developed and tested in practice. In the pilot environments, civil society, municipalities, academia and the business sector work together to test, adapt and evaluate methods.
Climate change and global disruptions make local communities in northern Sweden vulnerable due to centralised systems for food, water and energy. The project addresses these challenges by testing practical solutions and translating the experience gained into concrete models for strengthening local systems that enhance preparedness and capacity to act in the future. The overarching areas of focus are climate adaptation, preparedness and increased self-sufficiency. These are addressed through greater self-sufficiency, as well as collaborative models between civil society and the public sector.
The project focuses broadly on climate adaptation and preparedness through increased self-sufficiency in water and food, as well as collaborative models between civil society and the public sector.
Water
In the village of Stöcke, a pilot environment for local water supply is being developed and tested through the collection, treatment and storage of rainwater and meltwater. The pilot environment serves both as a concrete solution and as a learning environment for small-scale, nature-based systems that strengthen local resilience. Civil society organisations and municipalities are involved throughout the process. The result is increased knowledge, capacity and influence in local preparedness, while reducing vulnerability to drought and disruptions.
Climate-adapted cultivation
A pilot environment for climate-adapted cultivation is being established based on the conditions in northern Sweden. Through collaboration between civil society, research, the public sector and the business community, methods for robust small-scale cultivation are being developed to meet changing climate conditions. Civil society actively participates in the development and testing, strengthening its role in food supply and preparedness.
Collective processing and storage
A pilot environment for small-scale processing and shared storage of locally produced food is being developed. The focus is on rebuilding local capacity to process and store food. Civil society plays a central role in developing and managing the solutions, while public-sector actors gain models for collaboration. Together with the focus on climate-adapted cultivation, this creates an integrated system from production to storage.
Analytical tool for resilient local communities
As part of the project, an analytical tool for preparedness and climate adaptation is being developed and tested. The tool builds on previous methods but is expanded to include indicators for water, food, energy and local resources. The result will be a practical tool to support strategic planning and a means of translating experience from the pilot environments into broader applications.
Resilience hubs – collaborative models for local preparedness
The project develops models for resilience hubs – local places where resources for water, cultivation, energy, processing and storage are brought together. These hubs function both as practical resource centres and as a framework for collaboration between civil society, municipalities and other stakeholders. Civil society plays a key role and strengthens its capacity through active participation.
