Understanding and Governing Habitability in the Context of Climate Change (ALTHAEA)

As climate risks intensify, particularly across vulnerable regions, communities are increasingly faced with difficult choices: whether to remain in place, adapt to changing conditions, or relocate. These responses are complex and shaped by both opportunities and constraints, raising important questions about when a place becomes uninhabitable and who has the authority to make such determinations. Some projections suggest that by 2070 up to 3 billion people could live in areas considered uninhabitable due to extreme temperatures, highlighting the urgency of better understanding habitability in a changing climate.

To address these challenges, ALTHAEA develops the concept of lived habitability through an inductive, comparative case study approach, focusing on four cases of preventive planned relocation in Southern Europe (Italy, Greece, France, and Spain). These cases are analysed in collaboration with country experts to ensure strong contextual understanding and engagement with local realities. The research is motivated by the expectation that climate change will increase flood risks across Europe, making preventive relocation an increasingly relevant and necessary policy option.

The project aims to advance scientific understanding of the relationship between eroding habitability and patterns of human mobility and immobility, while also generating new empirical evidence on planned relocation as a form of climate adaptation. By doing so, ALTHAEA contributes to ongoing debates about climate governance and supports policymakers in designing more proactive, inclusive, and socially sensitive adaptation strategies.

ALTHAEA builds on insights from the earlier ITHACA Marie Curie project. While IIASA is the sole institutional partner, the project actively collaborates with external experts and stakeholders across case study regions to exchange knowledge and deepen understanding of local contexts.

The project will produce a range of outputs, including scientific publications, policy-relevant reports, and case study analyses, as well as contributions to conferences and academic discussions. Through these activities, ALTHAEA seeks to inform both scientific and policy communities, while contributing to broader global efforts to address climate change and its impacts on human societies.

For more information, see the project announcement:
https://iiasa.ac.at/news/mar-2026/erc-starting-grant-to-explore-habitability-in-changing-climate