RESOLVER

The global transition toward sustainable and circular sanitation just took a major step forward. RESOLVER — Advancing nature-based action for circular resource recovery in rural and peri-urban communities across Europe and Latin America — has officially begun.

Funded under the 5th EU–LAC Joint Call in Science, Technology and Innovation, RESOLVER brings together leading research institutions from Spain, Austria, Germany, Brazil, Peru, and the Dominican Republic to address one of today’s most pressing challenges: how to manage wastewater, sludge, and resources sustainably in small and rural communities.

Nature as the foundation for circular solutions

RESOLVER promotes nature-based solutions (NBS) that transform wastewater into valuable resources — clean water, nutrients, and biomass — while protecting ecosystems and communities. Moving beyond conventional treatment systems, the project focuses on technologies such as constructed wetlands, green walls, and bio-based reactors, which integrate natural processes into water and sludge management.

At the same time, RESOLVER bridges the gap between science, policy, and practice, helping small communities adopt NBS that are affordable, low-energy, and adapted to local conditions.

A transcontinental collaboration

What makes RESOLVER unique is its bi-regional cooperation between Europe and Latin America. The project connects experiences and expertise from both regions:

• In Europe, where circular bioeconomy and water reuse strategies are rapidly evolving.

• In Latin America, where community-led approaches and decentralized systems offer innovative models for inclusion and resilience.

By linking pilots in Peru, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Spain, and Austria, RESOLVER will generate real-world evidence on performance, resource recovery, and environmental co-benefits of NBS under diverse climatic and socio-economic conditions.

Tools, data, and pathways for change

RESOLVER builds on two proven tools — OCTOPUS for infrastructure planning and Nat4Wat for technology selection — which will be upgraded to include sludge treatment, circularity indicators, and multilingual access. Alongside, partners will co-create business models that make circular sanitation financially viable, and develop open-access repositories to share knowledge, data, and practical guidance with communities, policymakers, and SMEs.

Towards a resilient and inclusive sanitation future

By combining technical innovation with social participation, RESOLVER aims to make nature-based sanitation a mainstream option for small communities worldwide.
It will provide the science, the tools, and the partnerships needed to “resolve” one of the biggest sustainability challenges of our time — turning waste into value and reconnecting people, water, and nature.

Stay tuned as RESOLVER unfolds its story across continents, bringing solutions where they are most needed.