• 2023 looks set to be the hottest year in recorded history
• Sea level rise is a direct consequence of global temperature increase
• The European LIFE COSTAdapta project aims to adapt the coast of Gran Canaria to climate change by building a progressive system of tidal reefs-tide shelves

In just one week’s time, 2023 will come to a close, a year in which several temperature records have been broken as a result of climate change. This rise in global temperature is causing sea levels to rise, threatening seabed biodiversity, erosion and coastal encroachment, among other adverse effects. The European LIFE COSTAdapta project aims to address the problems caused by rising sea levels on the coast of Gran Canaria by building a progressive system of tidal reefs-tidal pools.

This year has seen sustained record-breaking temperatures. Up to October, the global average temperature in 2023 was the highest since measurements began, approaching the planetary safety limit of 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels set as a target by the international community in the historic Paris Agreement. The perfect storm unleashed by the combination of climate change and the “El Niño” phenomenon, which is often the cause of rising temperatures in recent years, is behind data that already places this year as the warmest, pending confirmation by the end of 2023.

Moreover, once the hottest months in the northern hemisphere, July and August, were over, the lull in the thermometers was relatively short-lived and the counter-attack of the heat was violent. Global temperatures in September and October were more anomalous than in any other year, according to Copernicus data. In fact, in Europe, this September was the hottest September by far: 1.1°C behind the previous top-ranked September, which was in 2020.

Multiple records have also been broken with respect to sea temperature. During this summer, both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic have broken their maximum temperature records, reaching average values of 28.71ºC and 24.9ºC, respectively. Both seas are living, on average, with water temperatures well above the historical average and the highest range ever detected.

When sea levels are rising as fast as they are, even the smallest rise can have terrible consequences for people living on the coast. As seawater moves inland, it can lead to soil erosion, flooding of wetlands, contamination of agricultural land and aquifers, and thus loss of habitat for fish, birds and plants. On the other hand, sea level rise coincides with the occurrence of more extreme weather conditions and more dangerous weather phenomena.

About LIFE COSTAdapta

The main objective of the LIFE COSTAdapta project is to address the adaptation of the coast of Gran Canaria to sea level rise by means of an innovative methodology. To this end, a progressive tidal pool-reef system will be designed and tested, combining traditional tidal pool construction techniques with advanced solutions.

This will contribute to the progressive adaptation of the Gran Canaria coast to climate change, 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 aims to conserve habitats characteristic of these areas and protect the local tourism economy. The project will ensure economic sustainability by providing solutions to flooding and maintaining the region’s tourist attraction, which in turn will support coastal stability.

The project, with a duration of 7 years and a total budget of 3,409,864 EUR (2,045. 818 EUR subsidised by the European Union through the LIFE Programme), is coordinated by the Consejo Insular de Energía de Gran Canaria (CIEGC) of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, with the support of its seven partners, among which are public entities, universities, foundations and private companies, such as the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPC), universities, foundations and private companies, such as the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), the University of Cantabria (UC), INGECID, Raley Estudios Costeros, ECONCRETE, the Canary Islands Foundation for Recycling and Sustainable Development and the Finnova Foundation.