The AURORA project is a comprehensive initiative focused on mitigating health risks associated with climate change, with a specific emphasis on the EU Boreal region and broader Europe. Rising occurrences of extreme events—such as floods, wildfires, heatwaves, and sea-level rise—have placed unprecedented stress on local communities, impacting public health and well-being, especially among vulnerable and marginalized populations. Recent disasters in the Boreal region, underscore the urgent need for systemic adaptation strategies and transformative solutions, drawing increased political and societal attention.

AURORA aims to enhance resilience through a robust Decision Support system comprising a suite of tools designed to 1) Monitor environmental stressors, 2) Develop climate and epidemiological models, 3) Generate future climate-health forecasts using simulated scenarios, and 4) Identify region-specific climate risks and vulnerabilities. Supported by reliable AI-driven technology, this system will issue early warnings, recommend adaptive measures, and promote nature-based solutions to help cities proactively address climate-related health risks.

The AURORA project’s approach includes engaging stakeholders across project stages through “Living Mission Labs” designed to drive behavioral change and test solutions. This engagement will occur in five demo cities—Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere, and Pori—and three replicant cities—Klaipeda, Joniskis, and Jurmala—providing on-the-ground insights for broader application. Knowledge generated through AURORA will be disseminated via clustering activities, equipping local policymakers with evidence-based insights to refine climate strategies and develop resilience-focused urban management plans. Through these efforts, AURORA aims to foster climate-adaptive, health-resilient cities, prepared to meet the challenges of a changing climate.