The President of the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Clavijo, has announced that his Executive will review the Climate Change Law approved by a broad majority in December 2022 to "reduce bureaucracy" and "speed up the development of sustainable projects", as well as create a network of climate shelters.
In this way, Clavijo has shown his commitment to the requests of the committee of experts on climate change after holding a meeting this Thursday at the Presidency headquarters in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, an body to which he has thanked for its "altruistic" work to advise the Executive.
The experts have conveyed to him, according to a statement from the Canary Islands Government, the need to reduce bureaucracy to speed up the development of sustainable projects in the archipelago and "prevent projects of general interest that are very important for everyone from being lost."
In this sense, Clavijo has also shown his support for the experts' request to create a single window for all activities related to the blue economy, because he understands that a "slow" administration cannot "prevent action in the face of the climate emergency."
And he recalled that many projects of interest for the blue economy and circular economy "are falling because there is an immense burden of permits from different administrations", which, in the opinion of the experts, could be solved by creating "a point of attention that brings together the permits under the jurisdiction of the autonomous government, councils and municipalities."
Climate shelters
Another issue that has been raised at this committee meeting is the creation of a network of climate shelters in the archipelago, in such a way that these points can be located, promoted and maintained in the municipalities of the Canary Islands.
These shelters would allow us to face episodes of high temperatures such as the one that forced the closure of schools in October last year, the note states.
And the experts consider that, given the increase in temperatures, they must be prepared "and have an organization with more green areas and public buildings equipped so that the population can protect themselves."
Finally, this committee has conveyed to President Clavijo the urgent need for the Canary Islands to have an oceanographic vessel that allows research and studies to be carried out in the waters of the archipelago throughout the year, which has been "a historical demand" of the Canary Islands experts, which would also support international projects.
