Southern Gran Canaria is strengthening its commitment to sustainability and climate resilience with the recent progress of the Maspalomas Transformation Lab, developed within the framework of the European Horizon Europe NATALIE project. The initiative held its third participatory session at La Galería – Casa Condal, bringing together various key stakeholders after more than two years of collaborative work to define concrete results aimed at climate change adaptation in the southern region of the island.
The working session began with a technical update on the development of the Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) pilot project. In this session, Veolia presented the progress achieved in implementing the Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) for the Maspalomas Pond. The University of La Laguna then outlined the overall trajectory of the European project and its strategic interconnection with other case studies developed in Fuerteventura, Tenerife, and the Balearic Islands, providing a valuable comparative perspective for the region.
The core of the meeting revolved around the so-called Action Wheel, a participatory dynamic structured around five collaborative working groups that brought together different teams for several hours. This methodology allowed for the definition of operational commitments and the establishment of next steps in key areas such as governance, the design of an educational program for schools in the municipality, the creation of a university micro-credential specializing in Nature-Based Solutions, the technical co-design of the pilot project, and the development of various cross-cutting actions.
Each of the consortium partners plays a crucial role in this collaborative process. Canaragua leads the governance and technical development of the SUDS pilot project, while the CIEGC is spearheading the implementation of the school education program in the tourist municipality. The University of La Laguna contributes scientific and comparative rigor through the development of the academic micro-credential, and Veolia—formerly Aquatec—leads the technical co-design of the pilot measures. Water, Environment and Beyond (WE&B) facilitates the co-creation process, ensuring methodological consistency throughout all phases of the European project.
The workshop culminated with the presentation of the roadmaps defined by each working group, highlighting the fundamental principle that inspires the European initiative: the need to build effective climate adaptation collectively and collaboratively. Through these participatory forums, southern Gran Canaria strengthens its commitment to environmental innovation and sustainable land management, laying the essential regulatory, educational, and technical foundations to confidently face future environmental challenges.
