Province of Cádiz Coastal Management Programme

The coast of the province of Cádiz (south-western Spain) is a high ecological value area and great socioeconomic importance: coastal municipalities account more than 60% of the province’s population and support key development sectors (tourism, shipbuilding, maritime traffic, etc.). It is also a fragile, dynamic and complex system affected by many human pressures. Climate change is also threatening coastal areas. Its evidences are becoming increasingly clear in the province: intensification of coastal erosion processes, sea level rise or an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. The Provincial Government of Cádiz has developed, with support of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition through the Biodiversity Foundation, a Coastal Management Programme with the aim to face climate challenge by integrating adaptation in coastal municipalities’ planning and management. Through a participatory process, 57 measures to be implemented in the short/medium term have been defined targeting the field of information and knowledge, education and communication, training, cooperation and assistance to municipalities and resources. In a complementary way, Covenant for the Sustainability of the Coast has been launched, as a tool for communication, coordination and inter-administrative cooperation in the provincial coastal area. Support material and capacity building actions for local entities’ representative have been developed. The Programme also includes actions to support environmental education on climate change on the coast. Keywords: Adaptation, integrated coastal management, climate change, municipality, Cádiz.