Beaches on Tenerife and the other Islands are disappearing due to ecological transition, this is precisely why the Government is taking drastic action.
The Department of Ecological Transition, Climate Change Mitigation, and Territorial Planning of the Canary Islands has completed the work on the project “PIMA – Plan de Impulso al Medio Ambiente – Adapta Costas Canarias.”This is the first time a study has outlined the risks that coastal areas will face if no action is taken regarding climate change and rising sea levels.
An Ambitious Package
This study is part of the national plan for climate change adaptation, with the primary goal of identifying the potential socioeconomic and ecological consequences for all eight islands.
The responsible minister, José Antonio Valbuena, explains that all climate scenarios described in this document are based on hypothetical situations in which no preventive measures are taken against this environmental phenomenon.
The Canary Islands’ government has already introduced an ambitious legislative package, spearheaded by the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law, which is set to receive final approval from the regional parliament soon.
Hypothetical Scenarios
The PIMA Adapta Costas report states that the consequences of inaction on climate issues could range from increased flooding, directly affecting the population, to damage to key road infrastructure, the disappearance of tourist beaches, the decline of habitats and ecosystems, and increased erosion along the coastlines of all the islands.
The scale and intensity of these phenomena, which are key risk components, have been projected for the mid- and late 21st century.
However, these forecasts are still based on hypothetical scenarios where no measures are taken.
Losses of Up to 11% of GDP
The variety of potential future situations, derived from multiple greenhouse gas concentration scenarios and sea level rise models, has been incorporated into these projections to provide a clearer picture of possible outcomes.
Findings indicate that the estimated direct economic losses related to both erosion and coastal flooding caused by climate change could reach up to 11% of the current GDP by 2100 in the worst-case scenario.
It is estimated that in the worst-case climate scenario for 2050, a loss of 10.6% in surface area could impact 147 tourist beaches across the Canary Islands.
47 Coastal Areas at Risk
The results indicate an east-to-west pattern in geographical distribution. In this regard, the coastal areas of the eastern islands—La Graciosa, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote—will be the first to face significant risks.
Considering all modeled socioeconomic and ecosystem effects, 47 coastal zones across the Canary Islands have been identified as high-risk areas requiring priority for detailed studies and climate adaptation plans at a local level.
All information on the study conducted under PIMA Adapta Costas can be found at https://pimacostas.grafcan.es/.
Unknown © Photography
Beaches on Tenerife are disappearing ©
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