News
– The session took place within the framework of the ClimEmpower project, which presented risk maps addressing droughts, pluvial and coastal flooding, forest fires, and heatwaves in Andalusia
– This European initiative aims to study the weaknesses of five regions in southern Europe that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change
Recently, the ClimEmpower project held its third regional Community of Practice (CoP), bringing together representatives from public administrations across Andalusia to address the environmental, social, and economic challenges associated with climate change in the Western Costa del Sol region. During the event, risk maps developed within the project were presented, highlighting exposure to extreme climate events driven by climate change.
The maps presented aim to identify which areas are most susceptible to damage from phenomena such as heatwaves, taking into account factors such as the presence of hazards —for example, soil temperature—, the vulnerability of the territory to these hazards —for instance, the proportion of children and people over 65—, and exposure —which considers, for example, the number of infrastructures that require protection.
El proyecto ClimEmpower, financiado por el programa Horizon de la Unión Europea, lleva en marcha desde 2023 y tiene el objetivo de estudiar zonas del sur de Europa que son especialmente vulnerables a los efectos derivados del cambio climático. Andalucía es una de los cinco territorios estudiados, junto con Osijek-Baranja County (Croacia), Troodos Mountain Range (Chipre), Grecia Central (Grecia) y Sicilia (Italia).
The ClimEmpower project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon programme, has been underway since 2023 with the aim of studying areas in southern Europe that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Andalusia is one of the five territories under study, alongside Osijek-Baranja County (Croatia), the Troodos Mountain Range (Cyprus), Central Greece (Greece), and Sicily (Italy).
The project’s mission is to empower these regions to enhance their adaptive capacity, benefiting both the participating territories and others facing similar challenges. In the case of the Spanish pilot, ClimEmpower focuses on improving Andalusia’s urban resilience to flooding, water scarcity, heatwaves, and forest fires that increasingly affect the region.
Isabel Gamallo, Project Manager of ClimEmpower and researcher at Cetaqua– Water Technology Centre, explains that “Andalusia is taking part in the project with the aim of protecting both the quality of life of its inhabitants and the tourism sector —a key economic driver that depends on the preservation of natural resources.”
To enhance the region’s climate resilience, it is essential for the various public administrations to work in a coordinated manner. For this reason, the ClimEmpower partners —the Andalusian Regional Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment, Veolia (through Aquatec), and Cetaqua Andalucía— not only presented the risk maps but also shared resilience indicators, recommendations, adaptation measures, and educational materials with representatives from public administrations on the Costa del Sol, such as the Málaga Provincial Council, Estepona City Council, and the Andalusian Public Company for Tourism and Sports Management.
From the Andalusian Climate Change Office (OACC) of the General Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change, the importance of managing climate risks locally is emphasised: “In Andalusia, we are aware that the increase in climate risks affects not only people’s lives but also trade flows and the region’s economic stability. Assessing climate change-related risks is key to implementing the most appropriate and relevant adaptation measures, always taking into account the characteristics of the territory.”
They also highlight the importance of the risk maps developed by ClimEmpower: “By combining impact assessment with a territorial component, the risk maps are an extremely effective tool for prioritising adaptation actions and maximising the efficiency of adaptation efforts, with the ultimate goal of achieving an Andalusia that is adapted and resilient to climate change.”
Por último, en el evento también se presentó el proyecto europeo ICARIA por su estrecha relación con ClimEmpower. Financiado también por el programa Horizon y liderado por Veolia, a través de Aquatec, el proyecto ICARIA tiene el objetivo de estudiar el impacto de los efectos del cambio climático extremos en infraestructuras críticas y proponer soluciones para su adaptación, centrándose en tres casos de estudio: el Área Metropolitana de Barcelona, la región austríaca de Salzburgo y la región griega de las islas Egeas del Sur.
Finally, the European project ICARIA was also presented at the event due to its close connection with ClimEmpower. Also funded by the Horizon programme and led by Veolia through Aquatec, the ICARIA project aims to study the impact of extreme climate change effects on critical infrastructures and to propose solutions for their adaptation. It focuses on three case studies: the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, the Austrian region of Salzburg, and the Greek region of the South Aegean Islands.
During the session, the results obtained for the Spanish case study were presented, focusing on the combined effects of pluvial and coastal flooding on urban drainage and transport infrastructures (road and metro systems), as well as on residential housing.
The contents expressed are the sole responsibility of Cetaqua – Water Technology Centre – and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
