The Mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Carolina Darias, met on Monday with the Minister of Ecological Transition and Energy of the Government of the Canary Islands, Mariano Hernández Zapata, to address the intervention aimed at protecting the fishing district of San Cristóbal from strong swells and improving the environment.
Also present at the meeting were the Councilor for Planning, Urban Development, and Housing, Mauricio Roque, the area coordinator, Nieves Martín, and the Vice Minister of Ecological Transition, Climate Change, and Energy of the Canarian Government, Julieta Schallenberg, as reported by the city council and the ministry in a press release.
For the Mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the meeting allowed for addressing the «common challenge» of protecting this capital district and learning about the proposals made by the Government of the Canary Islands. Carolina Darias also informed Zapata that the city council has a project that has been working «for some time» through the Sea City Council and «contemplates a solution that goes beyond maritime defense» of the district.
She added that the solution presented by the ministry is a «positive step forward,» but she also considered it «important» for the Government of Spain to «join a meeting between the three administrations and provide solutions that not only focus on defense against sea surges but also offer an integrative solution that allows for contact and improvement in the lives of the residents of the San Cristóbal district.
Therefore, the Mayor has proposed establishing a roadmap to define a proposal for intervention and a distribution of participation from each of the administrations involved (Government of Spain, Government of the Canary Islands, and City Council) to provide this district with a solution that «improves the lives of the people who reside in it.»
FOUR POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
On the other hand, the regional Minister of Ecological Transition, Mariano Hernández Zapata, thanked the meeting for «helping from the Government of the Canary Islands to solve the problems» of the San Cristóbal district, with whom they have already had several meetings, leading to a technical study being commissioned where four solutions were presented to protect its coastline from the «very worrying rise in sea level due to climate change.»
He added that the ministry has presented four proposals extracted from this study consisting of a wall with botaolas, a wall with riprap, an extension of the promenade with protection, or the construction of a standalone dike with comprehensive protection.
Once presented to the city council, he noted that both entities have agreed to «start a line of work where the ministry, the city council, and the Government of Spain» will be involved to ultimately «implement and progress in solutions for this district that demands them.»
Other complementary defense measures for the protection of the district have also been addressed, such as studying and working to have an early warning system in place.
