LIFE: restoring land and hope in the Basque Country

It’s been called the largest climate action initiative ever carried out in the Basque Country — a region better known for heavy rainfall than desertification. As LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 approaches the closing stages of its 7-year journey, this €20 million project is being hailed as an outstanding example of improving climate resilience through adaptation and mitigation. 

More than 20 organisations have contributed to LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050’s success. “Since its launch, this project has been an example of how inter-institutional collaboration is bearing fruit when it comes to implementing specific solutions to tackle the impacts of climate change,” says Adolfo Uriarte, Basque Government Director of Natural Heritage and Climate Change Adaptation. More than 90% of planned actions have already been completed, and the remainder will be carried out well before the project ends in late 2026. The initial Socio-Economic Analysis of LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 estimates that, during its first 4 years, the project had already boosted the Basque economy, contributing between €5.3 and €9.3 million in GDP and helping to preserve around 100 jobs. 

LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 is one of more than 90 LIFE strategic integrated projects (SIPs) designed to help authorities implement environmental and climate strategies at municipal, regional, multi-regional and national level. The project focused on improving climate resilience in 3 cores areas: urban and peri-urban areas, river basins, and coast. "The Basque Country offers an example of how to turn climate planning into specific actions in the region,” says Alexander Boto Bastegieta, General Manager of the Basque Environmental Agency Ihobe. “Collaboration between administrations, stakeholders and local technical knowledge generate a real impact on the region’s resilience.” 

In the coastal town of Bakio, for example, nature-based solutions including inland marshlands and flood forests will save around €240 000 a year in flood damage costs. In the seaside town of Zarautz — which boasts the longest beach on the Basque coast — concrete steps are being removed so the beach can revert to a more natural state. The promenade has also been raised to improve safety and accessibility and prevent flooding and structural damage. 

In Bilbao, the region’s largest city,  work is underway to restore and re-naturalise Bilbao’s Txinbo Park. This will increase the park’s capacity to absorb and manage floodwater, facilitating natural water retention and helping to reduce the risk of flooding caused by the Cadagua River. In the regional capital Vitoria-Gasteiz, parts of the Medieval Quarter have been ‘re-greened’ to combat the urban heat island effect and improve comfort during hot weather. In addition, a large green corridor has been created around the Jundiz industrial park to improve the environmental quality, restore ecological connectivity, maintain agricultural activities, and mitigate the effects of climate change. Further inland, a resource-demand balance analysis was carried out aimed at alleviating summer water supply problems in the River Baia basin. 

Lessons learned from LIFE Urban Klima 2050 will be put into practice in other LIFE strategic climate projects, which together support the EU 2030 climate and energy framework, the EU climate adaptation strategy and the European Climate Law.