The Canary Islands have joined the European Union’s Mission for Adaptation to Climate Change to confirm their commitment to continue promoting knowledge about potential climate scenarios and to work on adaptation plans and climate roadmaps.
This was reported by the Regional Ministry of Ecological Transition, Fight against Climate Change and Territorial Planning in a statement in which it adds that this work is already being done through the legislative ecosystem promoted by the regional government itself.
The agreement was formalised in the framework of the first meeting of this entity, held in Brussels, where all the signatory regions presented the challenges in terms of financing, citizen participation and access to information that they face in their different territories.
Thus, the Canary Islands are committed to participating in activities to exchange experiences and collaborate with other regions, as they have done to date, as well as involving citizens in the decision-making process.
The regional minister for the area, José Antonio Valbuena, stressed that “for the Canary Islands Government, which is the administration responsible for climate issues at regional level, the signing of this agreement is a very important step forward in the climate action roadmap that we set out at the beginning of this legislature”.
It is necessary,” he added, “that the work being carried out in the Canary Islands on climate change adaptation and mitigation is known and shared with other EU regions facing the same adverse effects as the Canary Islands.
Valbuena pointed out that in this legislature, for the first time in the history of the Canary Islands, projects for adaptation and mitigation of climate change have been financed, as well as initiatives in this area by local councils and town councils, and actions for the establishment of Low Emission Zones, among other projects.
Finally, the Regional Ministry recalled that the signing of this letter of support also comes with the Canary Islands Climate Change and Energy Transition Act passed in December 2022.
This law is accompanied by a legislative framework already in its final stages of preparation, which also includes the Canary Islands Climate Action Strategy, the Canary Islands Climate Action Plan, the Canary Islands Energy Transition Plan and the Canary Islands Just Transition Strategy.
