• Adrián Noheda, Project Manager at the Finnova Foundation, will lead a session on EU funding for island communities
• Patricia Caro Ruiz, Technical Coordinator of the LIFE COSTAdapta project and Project Manager at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), will speak at an international session on nature-based solutions
• The European project LIFE COSTAdapta positions Gran Canaria as a global benchmark in coastal resilience
Gran Canaria, April 2026. The European project LIFE COSTAdapta is participating in the Global Sustainable Islands Summit 2026, held from 20 to 22 April at ExpoMeloneras, Gran Canaria, organized by Island Innovation in collaboration with the Cabildo de Gran Canaria. This international forum, which brings together more than 500 representatives from governments, institutions, businesses, and academia across over 100 island territories, serves as a platform for the project consortium to present innovative solutions to climate change, with the aim of strengthening coastal resilience and fostering international cooperation in island regions.
The project’s participation is represented by Patricia Caro Ruiz, Technical Coordinator of LIFE COSTAdapta, responsible for the project’s technical management and implementation in Gran Canaria, and Adrián Noheda, Project Manager at the Finnova Foundation and consortium partner, specializing in EU funding and partnership building.
Nature-based solutions to protect coastlines
Patricia Caro will take part on Wednesday, 22 April at 13:30 in the session “Nature as Infrastructure: Coastal Protection & Community Resilience”, lasting 45 minutes, where she will present the progress of LIFE COSTAdapta in nature-based coastal adaptation alongside international experts from institutional, scientific, and technical fields. Participants include representatives from the Government of Gran Canaria, international organizations, and consultancies specializing in climate resilience.
This session will explore how natural solutions such as reefs, dunes, and wetlands can function as infrastructure to protect coastlines. In this context, LIFE COSTAdapta will present its hybrid tidal pool-reef system, designed to mitigate the impact of sea level rise in the Canary Islands by reducing erosion and flooding, while enhancing biodiversity and supporting key economic activities such as tourism.
EU funding and international cooperation
Adrián Noheda will lead the side event “Unlocking EU Funding for Islands: Matchmaking Lab”, taking place on Wednesday, 22 April from 11:00 to 12:30 in Side Event Room 1, with a total duration of 90 minutes. During the first 30 minutes, he will present key EU funding opportunities for island and coastal territories, followed by a networking session facilitated by the event organizers to connect public and private stakeholders.
This session aims to explain how to access EU funding and build strategic partnerships to advance climate adaptation, energy transition, and sustainable development projects in island regions.
A global forum for climate action
The Global Sustainable Islands Summit 2026 is consolidating its position as the leading international forum on sustainability in island territories, where policymakers, technical experts, companies, and international organizations exchange knowledge and promote solutions to global challenges such as climate change, the blue economy, and energy transition.
The event features plenary sessions, thematic panels, and side events designed to foster international collaboration, project development, and knowledge transfer among island regions worldwide.
About the LIFE COSTAdapta project
The LIFE COSTAdapta project has a total budget of €3,337,563 and is co-funded by the European Union through the LIFE Programme.
Coordinated by the Insular Energy Council of Gran Canaria, the consortium includes entities such as ULPGC, the University of Cantabria, INGECID, Raley Estudios Costeros, ECOncrete AQUA, the Canary Islands Foundation for Recycling and Sustainable Development, and the Finnova Foundation.
More information: https://costadapta.energiagrancanaria.com/