NANAQUA emerges at the forefront of addressing the global water crisis, leveraging nanotechnology and nano(functionalized) materials (NMs) for cutting-edge water treatment solutions. In tackling the societal challenge posed by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), NANAQUA addresses the risks these pollutants, including endocrine-disrupting compounds, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, and pharmaceuticals, pose to freshwater resources and ecosystems. With over 500 European monitoring sites reporting pollutant concentrations harmful to aquatic life, the urgency for effective solutions is clear. NANAQUA's approach transcends current wastewater treatment systems, which inadequately remove CECs, by integrating nanotechnology into (photo)chemical and biological degradation systems. NANAQUA's solution further involves developing smart nanosensors for real-time water quality monitoring and generating insights in toxicity of nanomaterials and CECs. This strategy promises a comprehensive improvement in water purification effectiveness, aligning with the EU's Water Reuse Regulation and supporting sustainable resource management. The project establishes the first European doctoral training network dedicated to NMs integration in water treatment, training 15 professionals through an international, intersectoral, and interdisciplinary research program. This unique combination of training in (bio)chemical water treatment, materials science, (eco-)toxicology, and environmental sustainability assessment is pivotal for becoming experts in this field, granting highly valuable competencies for the job market. Environmentally, NANAQUA's long-term impact includes enhanced water treatment, reducing harmful CECs in aquatic systems, and thus protecting human health and promoting pollution-free habitats. Economically, it aligns with EU regulations, promising reduced costs, energy use, and job growth in the water treatment sector.

The proposed research will support developing and developed states to build adaptive governance capabilities that will embed equitable disaster risk reduction and resilience in development planning and development programmes. We emphasize the importance of community involvement in disaster risk management planning and the role of legal principles and institutions in reducing asymmetries in knowledge and power within a society. In conditions of post-normal science, where facts and indicators are uncertain and values are disputed, there is need for a normative-institutional approach involving diverse stakeholders and the ponderation of legal principles. Our nexus-informed methodological approach combines artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) within a transdisciplinary research agenda. It will transform qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights and inspire a new breed of disaster reduction governance. The project will do this by creating and applying an open-access tool, systematically eliciting expert views to contribute evidence to governments' plans for disaster risk reduction, and developing response processes that integrate a normative institutional approach to support the legitimacy of any given intervention of policies intended to enhance the resilience of communities. This project will thereby develop innovative and implementable strategies and technologies to help reduce disaster risk and enhance societal coping capabilities. Appropriate policies and adaptive governance mechanisms will be discussed and negotiated with disaster planners, vulnerable communities and other stakeholders. International workshops and will ensure that lessons are learnt from case studies and that best practices are identified, maximising knowledge exchange. The transdisciplinary outputs and guidelines will thus support decision-makers and communities to advance equitable disaster risk reduction through effective management of pre- and post- disaster risks placing vulnerable communities at the centre of all efforts.