• A project dedicated to protecting the coast from erosion caused by rising sea levels, supported and funded by the European Union and the Cabildo of Gran Canaria.

Brussels, April 22nd, 2025. This spring, the Canary Islands have been hit by numerous storms and heavy seas, resulting in damage to infrastructure, powerful waves, and flooding. That is why today LIFE COSTAdapta celebrates Earth Day, dedicated to the protection and restoration of nature. In this context, LIFE COSTAdapta focuses on safeguarding the coast of Gran Canaria through innovative solutions aimed at slowing sea level rise, protecting homes currently at risk from flooding and storm damage, while also preserving marine ecosystems.

LIFE COSTAdapta is committed to nature-based solutions to combat coastal erosion. It’s about acting with ecological intelligence, learning from natural processes and replicating them through soft infrastructure such as artificial reefs, sandbanks, or cobble berms. The goal is not to change the character of the coastline, but to protect and regenerate it without losing its essence.

In the participatory sessions that took place last November in San Felipe, the project gathered the concerns of the local population: 81% of the residents expressed their concern about the damage caused by the sea, and more than 75% considered the environmental regeneration of the area to be urgent.

On this Earth Day, LIFE COSTAdapta reaffirms its commitment to a more resilient, livable, and sustainable coast. Because acting today is the only way to ensure a thriving coastline tomorrow.

About LIFE COSTAdapta

LIFE COSTAdapta is a European project that works towards developing an innovative tidal pool-reef system to reduce the impacts of rising sea levels. This solution aims to protect marine biodiversity, mitigate coastal erosion, and minimize damage to coastal infrastructure.

The project is coordinated by the Gran Canaria Island Energy Council (CIEGC) y counts with the collaboration from the Univerwith of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), the University of Cantabria, Raley Estudios Costeros, ECOncrete AQUA, INGECID, the Canarias Recicla Foundation and the Finnova Foundation. It has a budget of €3,409,864 during seven years, 60% of which is financed by the European Union through the LIFE programme, and the remaining 40% is financed by the Cabildo of Gran Canaria.