Two representatives of the European Commission have met on the ground pilot experiences in the Pyrenees designed to anticipate the impacts of global warming. The visit served to review the progress of PYRENEES4CLIMA following a three-day technical meeting in Jaca, which brought together 46 partner organizations and reviewed the progress of this year's planned actions.
The goal of these tests is to transform knowledge into practical decisions, involving those who live and work in the mountains and adjusting each measure to the local context. According to the project coordinator and the Pyrenean Climate Change Observatory, led by Eva GarcÃa-Balaguer, the initiative promotes a cross-border cooperation unprecedented to accelerate the transfer and replication of solutions.
Pilot cases: from protective forest to new crops
In Canfranc, the capacity of trees to act as a natural barrier against instability processes, such as avalanches or landslides, is being assessed. This line of work is being developed in parallel in Benasque and the Ossau Valley (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) under the direction of the AEG-Pirineos-Pyrénées. These actions test the role of trees in the Forests as a barrier against avalanches and landslides and how to manage them against threats such as fires to strengthen security and resilience.
In Biescas, another pilot explores the agricultural diversification with aromatic and fruit plants as an alternative to cope with new climate scenarios, coordinated by CITA. Similar trials are being carried out in Ara (Jaca) and Ligüerre (AÃnsa), with the goal of increasing agricultural income, reducing risks, and utilizing crops better adapted to future conditions.
Water and territory: local pacts and custody
Water management is another key focus. In the Nay Valley (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), AUDAP is promoting a local agreement to foster a solidarity use of water, balancing urban, agricultural and environmental demands and reinforcing planning with criteria of sustainability and shared responsibility.
In Hoz de Jaca, agreements of custody of the territory promoted by SEO/BirdLife, commit small Pyrenean municipalities to adaptation and conservation actions for sensitive habitats, integrating owners, administrations and social entities to protect key ecosystem services and Endangered Species.
Project monitoring and institutional cooperation
During the stay, the formal meeting of ELMEN‑CINEA monitoring to review the implementation status of PYRENEES4CLIMA. The meeting was attended by the 46 partner organizations and included Yann Hélary, Secretary General of the Pyrenees Working Community, and Olvido Moratinos, President of the Jacetania region.
The project management emphasized that cooperation across territories and sectors is crucial to meeting European objectives and scaling up solutions. This shared vision emphasizes a effective collaboration, based on scientific evidence, which informs public policies and concrete measures in the Pyrenees.
Financing, schedule and strategic framework
PYRENEES4CLIMA was approved by the LIFE programme in June 2023 and has a budget close to 20 millones de euros, with a work horizon until April 2031. The resources allow for combining field actions, monitoring, training, and transfer to accelerate climate adaptation in the region.
All activities are aligned with the Pyrenean Climate Change Strategy (EPiCC), a pioneer in Europe for its cross-border approach and adopted in 2021 by the seven Pyrenean territories of Spain, France and Andorra. The EPiCC seeks to increase the resilience of the socio-ecological system, protect natural capital, such as Pyrenean fauna, and citizen well-being, and strengthen cooperation through innovation and knowledge sharing.
With pilots underway, local alliances and institutional and financial support, the Pyrenees are moving forward with concrete solutions to adapting the Pyrenees to climate change, combining preventive forest management, new agricultural practices, social agreements for water, and governance mechanisms that facilitate its replication on a Pyrenean scale.