The second day of the International Seminar on Sustainable Regions concludes with a reflection on taking action against rising sea levels.
On the afternoon of Thursday, May 15, the Víctor Jara Theater hosted the second day of the International Seminar on Sustainable Regions, focusing on one of the most critical threats posed by climate change: rising sea levels.
The session began at 17:30 p.m. with a presentation by Corinne Vitale, professor of spatial planning and water governance at Radboud University (Netherlands). Under the title “Coastal territories put to the test: How the Netherlands is adapting to rising sea levels”Vitale presented an analysis of the Netherlands' strategies for living with water. The expert emphasized the need to integrate climate planning into all levels of public policy, as it is not just about infrastructure, but also about institutional processes that allow for constant adaptation to new realities.
Adaptation and planning, main measures
Next, Gustavo Herrera, project coordinator for early warning, meteorological observation and climate modeling, gave the presentation. “Coastal adaptation to climate change in the Canary Islands: from risk to flexible action”Herrera addressed the specific situation of the Canary Islands, emphasizing the need for better anticipation of extreme events. In his presentation, he explained the methodology used to obtain data that would allow the archipelago to measure its risk from rising sea levels and to study possible future projects. He emphasized that flexible, risk-based planning is the best tool available.
The day concluded with a round table discussion entitled “Rising sea levels: a socioeconomic challenge”, moderated by journalist Wendy Fuentes. In addition to Herrera himself, the event featured Juan Ferrer, a technician with the Canary Islands Government's Climate Change Service; Levi García, a postdoctoral researcher at the ULPGC; and Patricia Caro, technical coordinator of LIFE COSTAdapta. The debate provided a platform for exchanging institutional, scientific, and technical perspectives on the already visible impacts of rising sea levels on the coasts of Gran Canaria.
Inaction is not an option
Likewise, the risks of maintaining urban development models in low-lying areas without adaptive planning were highlighted, and the importance of European projects to test replicable pilot solutions was emphasized.
The session concluded by reminding everyone that rising sea levels are not a phenomenon of the future, but a present reality that demands urgent, coordinated, and knowledge-based responses. Island regions like the Canary Islands cannot afford inaction: they are living laboratories of climate change and also pioneering territories in the search for solutions.
The 18th International Seminar on Sustainable Regions concluded with a reflection on the need to accelerate the transition toward resilient models that protect both ecosystems and the well-being of coastal areas.
