Climate change
Sections
Highlight
Sections
Highlight
Vélez-Málaga town hall on the eastern Costa del Sol has presented a new project to the Biodiversity Foundation for which it hopes to receive European funding. The project, which was revealed on Wednesday 26 February, is called 'Terra Veleia' and is described as "a new concept of urban oasis based on nature to recover the resilience of the town, by transforming it into a more habitable and resilient space".
"The aim is to counteract the increase in temperatures and the reduction in rainfall, effects produced by climate change, through three lines of action that will optimise the use of water resources and urban cooling," the town hall said in a statement. The proposal has been submitted as part of an application for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
At the launch of the biodiversity project on Wednesday 26 February the mayor of Vélez, Jesús Lupiáñez, highlighted the "vital importance to undertake all kinds of measures aimed at saving our resources". He went on to say that the project aims to "mitigate and adapt the urban environment to the impacts of climate change such as droughts, heat waves and torrential rain", which require immediate action "to preserve economic activity and improve the quality of life".
He stressed that any project to tackle climate change requires "both management by the institutions and the awareness of the citizen" and added that "the joint work of all of us will contribute to Vélez-Málaga having the best conditions in the care of our environment and being prepared for any natural phenomenon that may occur".
'Terra Veleia: New Route of Life Vélez-Málaga' requires a total budget of 3.5 million euros, with 85 per cent of the planned investment coming from the ERDF money and the remaining 15 per cent from the town hall's coffers and the University of Seville.
Ana Belén Zapata, the councillor for enterprise and employment responsible for strategic projects, said, "We have worked closely with the University of Seville, as well as with the different areas of the town hall" to put the funding bid together.
Zapata said that once the project and agreement had been ratified on Monday 24 February by the town hall, "it was presented to the Biodiversity Foundation through the electronic platform set up for this purpose". She added, "We hope that our town will be one of the beneficiaries of this grant which will allow the project to be developed over the next few years".
According to the councillor it would contribute "significantly to improving the quality of life of the citizens of Vélez-Málaga, supporting sustainability, urban development and the well-being of the entire municipality".
The project would involve the planting of trees, creation of storm tanks and installation of tree prosthesis-urban oases to achieve optimal channelling of rainwater and the implementation of positive cooling techniques to generate comfortable microclimates that promote socialisation and sustainable development.
'Terra Veleia' also includes capturing, storing and reusing water from rain or rainwater runoff. This represents an essential element of saving water resources as it will be possible to irrigate the town's parks and gardens without incurring excessive costs, as well as cooling public spaces. This intervention can lead to a reduction in the temperature at strategic points, even allowing transit of cooler air in areas of the town during periods of extreme heat.
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.
Reporta un error en esta noticia
Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados
¿Ya eres registrado?
Inicia sesiónNecesitas ser suscriptor para poder votar.