The European project uses drone flights and electrical resistivity tomography to study coastal dynamics and lay the groundwork for sustainable climate adaptation solutions
Brussels, 7th May 2025. The European project LIFE COSTAdapta, funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme, continues its coastal observation and analysis strategy with new fieldwork in the San Felipe area of Gran Canaria. Following a drone flight conducted on Tuesday 15th April to study shoreline variability and evolution, the technical team has returned this week to document electrical resistivity tomography work—a technique used to analyse the characteristics of the coastal subsoil.
These actions are part of the project’s environmental monitoring system, aimed at assessing the natural behaviour of the coastline before and during the implementation of pilot measures. In collaboration with a PhD student from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), regular flights are planned—ideally every four months—to generate comparable data series that will feed into the project’s impact indicators.
LIFE COSTAdapta proposes an innovative solution based on the implementation of tidal pool-reefs: a hybrid infrastructure that combines natural and bio-inspired elements to protect coastal areas against the effects of climate change, especially sea level rise. This methodology aims to enhance the resilience of coastal ecosystems, create favourable habitats for marine biodiversity, and preserve the local identity of beaches—ensuring a balance between environmental protection, public use, and tourism.
The project spans seven years (2023–2030) with a total budget of €3,409,864, of which €2,045,818 is co-funded by the European Union through the LIFE Programme.
Coordinated by the Island Energy Council of Gran Canaria (CIEGC), the consortium comprises seven partners: University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), University of Cantabria (UC), INGECID, Raley Estudios Costeros, ECOncrete AQUA, Fundación Canaria para el Reciclaje y el Desarrollo Sostenible (Canarias Recicla), and Finnova Foundation.
These field activities, along with future ones, will allow LIFE COSTAdapta to gather essential data to scientifically validate its intervention methodology and facilitate its replication in other coastal areas facing similar challenges.
More information and project newsletter subscription: https://costadapta.energiagrancanaria.com/