The SpongeBoost project is taking a creative approach to communicating its mission of enhancing and restoring landscapes' natural water retention capacities. By consolidating existing knowledge, utilising best practices, and testing innovative approaches, the project aims to create a comprehensive roadmap for implementing transformative measures that improve resilience to extreme weather events. This involves synthesising information for policy-making, practical restoration, and land-use planning, as well as showcasing successful examples of sponge restoration and its multiple benefits.
As part of its innovative creative communications approach, the project has developed a character, called Spongy. Through engaging visuals and inspiring stories, Spongy will simplify complex concepts, shape the project's visual identity and make the sponge narrative fun and accessible to both experts and non-experts.
The first edition of the comic book is available both in print and digitally, ensuring open access and free availability. The English and German versions of the first edition of the comic book have been published and are now available on Zenodo. Translations into seven more languages will follow shortly. The SpongeBoost comic book will be presented at future events across Europe to raise awareness about the project and its mission.
The official launch of the SpongeBoost comic book took place on 13 March 2025, during a hybrid workshop hosted by SpongeBoost partners from Deutsche Umwelthilfe in Berlin. The event, titled "Sponge.Power.Climate. – Innovatively Communicating Sponge Landscapes as Nature-Based Solutions", was attended by participants from across Germany.
The workshop featured a presentation by Maria Mincheva from Pensoft Publishers, who discussed the importance of science communication as a bridge between research and the public. Carina Darmstadt from Environmental Action Germany then officially introduced the SpongeBoost comic book, developed in collaboration with illustrators Melissa Harms and Nele Schacht from parzelle34 in Weimar. Their creative illustrations brought Spongy to life, transforming him from a concept into a character that supports the project’s mission to promote nature-based solutions for water retention.
The event also included a dynamic storytelling workshop, encouraging participants to share their own creative ideas for new "sponge stories". This session provided an opportunity for experts from diverse fields and communication professionals to collaborate and exchange their different perspectives on the topic.
With the release of the comic book and ongoing efforts to extend the story through additional editions, SpongeBoost aims to promote nature-based solutions that enhance landscape resilience and help combat the impacts of climate change.
Stay tuned for more project information on the SpongeBoost website: www.spongeboost.eu
Find the SpongeBoost project on social media on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Bluesky.
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SpongeBoost receives funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No.101112906.
Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the EU nor the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) can be held responsible for them.