 "City of Málaga Landscape")
© City of Málaga
About the region
The province of Málaga, situated in southern Spain, has nearly 1.8 million inhabitants while the city of Málaga has around 590 000 people.
“Málaga is paving the way for a sustainable future through innovative climate adaptation projects, green infrastructure, and nature-based solutions, ensuring resilience for generations to come.”
Main climate risks
heatwaves
Increasing temperatures and more frequent heatwaves in Málaga threaten public health, particularly vulnerable groups like the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions [1,2]. Agriculture also suffers from extreme temperatures, affecting crop yields and livestock, leading to food supply issues and price hikes [3].
floods
Málaga faces rising sea levels and coastal erosion, impacting infrastructure, beaches, cultural heritage sites, and biodiversity [4]. Climate change and urbanisation also increase flash and river flooding risks, threatening local heritage and infrastructure [5,6]. Recent severe floods exposed the vulnerability of the region's flood management systems [7].
wildfires
Málaga is increasingly vulnerable to wildfires, especially during hot, dry summers [8]. Extreme heat amplifies wildfire risks, affecting ecosystems, communities, and heritage sites. Rural abandonment and poor land management further exacerbate the situation [9].
droughts
Málaga faces significant challenges from droughts and water scarcity, particularly in agriculture, with reservoirs at critically low levels. This affects food production and tourism, putting the local economy at risk [10,11,12].
Focus during Pathways2Resilience
In the P2R project, Málaga aims to enhance its resilience to climate-related shocks with a focus on climate adaptation, net-zero emissions, and resource management. The region seeks a comprehensive climate risk assessment to prioritise adaptation strategies. The region is in the process of developing a climate adaptation strategy.
Interesting highlights
Málaga is actively advancing its climate change adaptation and sustainability initiatives through various projects.
One of the key developments is the development of our Municipal Climate Change Plan, which will outline concrete strategies for emission reduction, energy transition, and climate adaptation. This plan, currently in the tendering phase, will include specific measures, timelines, and budgets to guide the city’s sustainability efforts. Additionally, it will assess greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption to identify key sources and propose solutions.
Another significant initiative is REMED, funded by the Interreg Euro-MED program, which promotes urban green spaces to increase climate resilience in Mediterranean cities. The project focuses on improving green infrastructure to manage rainwater more efficiently, create microclimates that mitigate heat waves, enhance flood resistance, and protect soil from erosion through nature-based solutions.
Additionally, Málaga is part of the LIFE LUNGS project, led by Lisbon, which implements climate adaptation measures through green infrastructure. These include the introduction of biodiverse dryland meadows, using sheep grazing for vegetation management and soil conservation, improving water efficiency, and increasing urban tree density. Málaga will serve as a pilot city, implementing at least two of these measures and developing its own Green Infrastructure Master Plan as part of the project.
Regional Resilience Journey
Málaga province already has high readiness for the first RRJ step, and medium for the second and third RRJ steps. Regarding KEC, Málaga has the highest capacities in Capabilities and Skills, Finances and Resources and Governance, Engagement and Collaboration.
Key community systems priority areas
water-management
Key enabling conditions priority areas
governance-engagement-collaboration
finances-resources
behavioural-change