IRISCC: Fostering multi- and interdisciplinary research through integrated services for climate risk research

Introduction The IRISCC ( Integrated Research Infrastructure Services for Climate Change risks, www.iriscc.eu ) project delivers scientific and knowledge-based services aimed to support society’s capacity to address and strengthen resilience to climate change. IRISCC will establish a comprehensive service catalogue for research, innovation, training, and digital services related to climate risks and their determinants (hazards, exposures and vulnerabilities) (Fig. 1). Services are offered by 93 service providers through national and international research infrastructures (RIs), eLTER being one of them. IRISCC is an EU funded 4,5-year project (project number 101131261) launched in spring 2024 and coordinated by Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). It brings together 79 partners representing various research domains, including Earth systems, environmental health and social sciences. IRISCC will establish a “one-stop-shop” on climate risk related RI services and offer transnational and virtual access through open calls during years 2025–2027. Approach In the core of IRISCC is the provision of robust RI services geared towards climate change risk research. These services include transnational access (TA) to research facilities and virtual access (VA) to harmonised data, as well as standardised methodologies and cutting-edge tools for understanding climate change driven risks. The integrated approach merges the analysis of hazards, exposure, and vulnerability, enabling a comprehensive understanding of climate change driven risks. By fostering multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary collaboration, IRISCC aims to empower users to predict, mitigate, and adapt to the risks and impacts posed by climate change on human, production and natural systems. The IRISCC project will develop its services from first release of multidisciplinary services towards interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches by science demonstrators and service design labs. IRISCC and eLTER With 25 of eLTER research facilities included in the IRISCC Catalogue of Services, eLTER is one of the 14 RIs contributing to the services provided through IRISCC. eLTER is also involved in providing strategic leadership as a member in the project’s internal board, IRISCC Infrastructure Board. eLTER contributes to co-creation of novel research services thus advancing our understanding of socio-ecological transformations. Conclusions By summer 2025, IRISCC has launched its first suite of services and the first TA call is open. The services will gradually increase. The second release taking place in spring 2026 will include more integrated RI services and the third release in spring 2027 will include transdisciplinary by integrating knowledge services co-designed with societal actors. The IRISCC Catalogue of Services marks a milestone in the project's contribution to advancing environmental science, transdiciplinary and resilience-building efforts. This presentation will showcase the newly released IRISCC services and the applications of the follow up service releases in advancing research on climate risks, disaster risk reduction, and cross-sectoral environmental integration. It will also discuss how IRISCC can support transformative change and emphasises the role of integrated RIs in delivering actionable knowledge to researchers, policymakers, and society. The IRISCC approach not only supports multi- and transdisciplinary research but also strengthens the pathways for translating scientific advancements into effective policies and practical solutions. IRISCC is positioned as a pivotal contributor in the quest to predict, mitigate, and adapt to the complex challenges arising from climate change. We encourage eLTER Science Conference participants to familiarizing themselves with IRISCC services for climate change related risks and, when feasible, applying for transnational and virtual access through IRISCC: https://www.iriscc.eu/catalogue-of-services, https://www.iriscc.eu/open-calls.