Basque Country (Euskadi), Spain

Overview

The Basque Country (Euskadi) is a densely populated region, with a population of 2.2 million concentrated particularly in its three capitals, as well as along the rivers and coastline. The region has an increasingly ageing population, which, to some extent, shapes its main threats, vulnerabilities, and risks

The main climate risks faced by the region include:
• Rising temperatures and heatwaves, particularly their impacts on health and thermal comfort.
• Flood risk, both pluvial and coastal.
• Drought risk and its effects on the natural environment, the primary sector, and the potential availability of water supplies for the population.

Other risks, such as wildfires, landslides, and extreme events such as strong winds, are also expected to become more prominent in the coming years.

Motivations for Joining UNDERPIN

Through its participation in UNDERPIN, the Basque Country aims to contribute to the definition of indicators that are sensitive to progress in adaptation actions and their impacts, as well as to the development of a framework that can provide meaningful information on progress in climate action and risk reduction through regular updates.

The Basque Country is already undertaking substantial work to identify relevant climate adaptation indicators. However, challenges remain in selecting, operationalising, and applying indicators that are sufficiently sensitive and representative to effectively capture progress and outcomes in adaptation.

Main Adaptation MEL Activities and Stakeholders Involved

Euskadi has several mechanisms in place to monitor and evaluate progress on adaptation and resilience.

Adaptation action is based primarily on scientific and technical information, both international and, especially, information that has been regionalised for the Basque Country.

For the evaluation of adaptation plans and strategies, the region has developed sets of indicators linked to different lines of action. Examples include: the number of municipalities at high risk from heatwaves; the number of municipalities included in the coastal monitoring network Euskoos; the estimated population affected by coastal flooding under future scenarios; the status of inland water quality; levels of satisfaction with the health system; and the surface area of native forest. Besides having conducted several state-of-the-art reviews, it remains difficult to establish indicators that are sufficiently sensitive and representative.

Adaptation efforts are coordinated through the Basque Country’s Energy Transition and Climate Change Law, whereas climate action and adaptation initiatives are largely led by Ihobe, Sociedad Pública de Gestión Ambiental.

The work is being conducted hand in hand with municipalities and in collaboration with different stakeholders such as research institutions and public and private entities.
Key priorities:
•Integration of green and blue infrastructure into urban planning
•Protection of health and wellbeing, particularly for the most vulnerable populations;
•Improvement of risk management: including flood prevention through river and stream bank regeneration, coastal protection, strengthening early warning systems, and increasing public awareness
•Strengthening the adaptation of critical infrastructure: including health, transport, and energy systems.
•Protection of the natural environment and the primary sector.
In terms of learning the region has been actively inolved in other EU-funded projects, such as Regions4Climate and Pathways2Resilience, which enable shared learning and coordinated action at the European level.