Brussels, October 13, 2023. Today, International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, we recall that the rising sea level, caused by global warming, is one of the most serious threats posed by climate change in coastal areas.
According to a recent study by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC), in collaboration with the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA), the rate at which the sea level is rising in Spain, with its 8,000 kilometers of coastline, has doubled in the past 20 years. Since 1993, the sea level has been increasing at an average rate of 2.8 millimeters per year. This phenomenon is impacting the risk of beach erosion and, consequently, poses a threat to the country’s primary economic resource: tourism. But it’s not just that; it also presents a looming risk to the safety of coastal communities.
The climate change report presented by the Spanish government in 2021 projects a worrisome scenario in which it is estimated that the flooding levels in some coastal areas of the country could increase by 8% by the year 2040. This increase would be 6% in the Canary Islands and range between 2% and 3% along the rest of the Mediterranean coast. The study warns of the risk of suffering million-euros damages from flooding in the most exposed coastal cities.
LIFE COSTAdapta’s proposal for adapting and strengthening the coastlines of Gran Canaria against climate change
LIFE COSTAdapta project aims to address the adaptation of the coast of Gran Canaria to sea-level rise through an innovative methodology. To achieve this, a progressive system of tidal pool-reefs will be designed and tested, combining traditional tidal pool construction techniques with advanced solutions.
This will contribute to the gradual adaptation of the Gran Canaria coast to climate change, which is crucial given the high vulnerability of the Canary Islands to climate impacts, including sea-level rise. In addition to strengthening the resilience of coastal areas, LIFE COSTAdapta seeks to preserve the characteristic habitats of these areas and protect the local tourist economy. The project will ensure economic sustainability by providing solutions against flooding and maintaining the region’s tourist appeal, which in turn will favor coastal stability.
The project, with a duration of 7 years and a total budget of 3,409,864 EUR (2,045,818 EUR subsidized by the European Union through the LIFE Program), is coordinated by Consejo Insular de Energía de Gran Canaria (CIEGC) by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, with the support of its seven partners.