Welcome to the first article in our new MOUNTADAPT series, where we explore how Communities of Practice (CoPs) are helping to build real healthcare climate resilience. We begin here because understanding what a CoP is—and why it matters—is key to seeing how climate resilience in healthcare can be created in smarter, more collaborative ways and scaled across regions, and across Europe.
What is a Community of Practice?
A simple, common definition of Community of Practice is “a network of people who work on similar processes or in similar disciplines, and who come together to develop and share their knowledge in that field for the benefit of both themselves and their organization(s).“
In the context of MOUNTADAPT, CoPs do exactly that. They bring together a diverse mix of stakeholders: healthcare professionals, infrastructure managers, local governments, civil society actors, and climate experts. Together, they form a structured, cross-sector group that works collectively to strengthen the resilience of healthcare facilities in the face of climate change.
But a Community of Practice (CoP) is more than just a network — it’s a collaborative engine for change. These groups are built for action, not just dialogue. CoPs promote active local and regional engagement, and break down silos, which is essential for implementing effective climate adaptation strategies in healthcare settings.
CoPs serve as dynamic platforms for:
- Sharing actionable knowledge and real-world experiences
- Co-developing innovative, context-specific solutions
- Building long-term capacity across institutions
By fostering ongoing dialogue and collaboration, CoPs help design evidence-based adaptation pathways that reflect local needs and realities — especially for hospitals and the critical infrastructure they depend on.
Purpose of Communities of Practice in MOUNTADAPT
The MOUNTADAPT project actively builds on past open-scientific work, open access data, and methodologies to identify and bridge knowledge-practice gaps—laying the groundwork for real transformation. The project embeds open science as a core principle: wherever possible, the methods behind MOUNTADAPT’s work are shared and discussed openly with local Communities of Practice, including policymakers, the scientific community, and citizens. These methods—ranging from co-creation processes to monitoring protocols—are tested, refined, and eventually made publicly available to ensure broader use and impact.
Main goals of MOUNTADAPT CoPs
- Collect data needed for climate risk assessments and the design of adaptation pathways
- Engage stakeholders and build support for the climate adaptation process
- Track progress and guide implementation of resilience-building efforts over time
CoPs in the MOUNTADAPT Project
Within MOUNTADAPT, each of the four participating health systems is setting up its own CoP.
- The Community of Practice (CoP) in Grenoble, France brings together key regional stakeholders to strengthen the climate resilience of healthcare systems through coordinated action across health, education, and urban planning sectors. This CoP includes Grenoble Alpes University (UGA), Grenoble Alpes University Hospital Center (CHUGA), Grenoble Alpes Metropolis (GAM), and Floralis.
- The Community of Practice (CoP) in Selnica ob Dravi, Slovenia builds on the Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) for the Podravje region, which was developed in 2024. This comprehensive assessment places a strong emphasis on the healthcare sector, recognizing the growing threat of heat stress and other climate-related health risks. The CoP brings together key regional stakeholders to ensure that healthcare facilities are prepared, adaptive, and resilient in the face of climate change.
- The Community of Practice (CoP) in Alba Iulia, Romania unites a wide range of local institutions to address the impacts of climate change on public health, the environment, and emergency preparedness. Through coordinated action, this CoP is working to assess risks, raise public awareness, implement adaptation strategies, and support institutional capacity building across Alba County.
- The Community of Practice (CoP) in Tirol, Austria, brings together leading regional institutions, experts, and stakeholders to co-create sustainable solutions to strengthen its health sector’s climate resilience. With a focus on public health, emergency preparedness, and infrastructure, the CoP fosters innovation, data-driven decision-making, and robust adaptation strategies tailored to the Alpine region.
These local communities will play a pivotal role in supporting hospitals as they prepare for and adapt to climate-related challenges. By mobilising knowledge and connecting key actors, the CoPs help ensure that resilience-building is not just a concept, but a concrete and inclusive process.
Explore the CoPs of each region in the links below!
