Mediterranean Climate Resilience and Adaptation Toolkit (MEDCRAFT)

Abstract

The MEDCRAT project aims to reconstruct the hydroclimate of the Mediterranean Basin over the last millennium, with a special focus on contrasts in moisture variability between the eastern and western Mediterranean. To do so, the project combines an extensive network of dendrochronological records—including tree-ring data from living trees and historical deadwood—with a novel high-resolution paleo data assimilation framework.

By integrating proxy evidence with climate model simulations, MEDCRAT produces spatially explicit, gridded reconstructions of key hydroclimatic variables such as precipitation, drought indices, and soil moisture at unprecedented resolution for the Mediterranean region.

A distinctive feature of the project is its strong emphasis on knowledge transfer and societal impact. MEDCRAT develops open-access, interactive visualisation tools that translate complex paleoclimate data into practical insights, supporting water management, climate adaptation planning, and drought preparedness across one of the world’s most climate-sensitive regions.