Line of action:

Drivers of biodiversity loss

Status:

En ejecución

Execution date:

2023

Total budget:

189.500,00 €

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

132.650,00 €

Santa María la Real Foundation

The Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage route that encompasses diverse regions and landscapes in Spain, each of which is characterized by a unique combination of geographical, climatic, and cultural factors. The objective of defining the landscape units of the Camino de Santiago is to understand the different characteristics and particularities of each area in order to identify and evaluate their exposure to climate change.

A climate change adaptation project on the French Camino de Santiago is undoubtedly an effective tool to transfer knowledge and raise awareness of the importance of adaptation to climate change, promote cooperation and collaboration between different local and regional actors, improve the tourist image and attractiveness, and promote a culture of respect and care for the environment.

The main objective of this project is to develop a guide for adaptation to climate change on the French Camino de Santiago. The guide aims to generate opportunities for raising awareness and attracting pilgrims, promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices and sensitizing local communities and authorities on the importance of climate change adaptation.

It has the following specific goals:

• Define the landscape units of the Camino de Santiago and their exposure to climate change.
• To analyze the perception of the authorities, inhabitants and pilgrims about the risk of Climate Change.
• Collect traditional and vernacular knowledge that can facilitate climate change adaptation or mitigation.
• Communicate the results through a guide to adaptation to Climate Change on the French Camino de Santiago.

• Conduct a comprehensive literature review of climate change projections for the French Camino de Santiago area and their potential impacts on infrastructure and natural resources.
• Clearly define the boundaries of the landscape unit to be established, using tools such as maps, aerial photographs, soil and topography studies.
• Evaluate the quality of the landscape, identifying the areas with higher or lower landscape and ecosystemic quality, as well as the factors that influence this quality.
• Identify the threats and opportunities that exist for each defined landscape unit, such as urbanization, pollution, biodiversity loss, tourism pressure, etc.
• Conduct in-depth surveys with key stakeholders, such as local authorities, community leaders, environmental organizations, among others.
• Conduct participatory sessions with residents and pilgrims to discuss and learn about the different perceptions of the risk caused by climate change on the French Way of St. James.
• Conduct statistical and qualitative analyses of the information collected to identify patterns and trends in risk perception and key areas of action to be developed to mitigate the effects of climate change.
• Conduct interviews with people who live or work in the French Camino de Santiago region to identify traditional and vernacular knowledge they have used to adapt to changing climatic conditions. These surveys and interviews will address topics such as agricultural practices, water resource management, housing construction and other human activities.
• Field visits to graphically document knowledge and practices that have demonstrated their effectiveness and adaptability to changing climatic conditions.
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of the traditional and vernacular practices identified in the previous step to determine if these practices are still relevant and effective in the current context of climate change and to identify practices that can be improved or scaled up to aid adaptation to climate change on the French Way of St. James.
• Data analysis. Evaluation and selection of the most relevant information to design recommendations and strategies for adaptation to climate change in the region of the Camino de Santiago Francés.
• Develop a communication plan. Develop and edit the guide, both in digital and physical format, taking into account the communication strategy and the estimated scope.
• Review and validate the guide with experts and key stakeholders of the French Way of St. James, to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and relevant.
• Generate a section on the website of the Association of Municipalities of the Camino de Santiago with the information of the project and with the guide in downloadable format, as well as an online communication campaign to make the guide known to a wider audience with the intention of motivating pilgrims to download and recommend it.
• Distribute a special edition of the guide in physical format at events related to the French Way of St. James, such as fairs, conferences, meetings of pilgrims’ associations, hostels and tourist information points of the French Way of St. James.
• Generate a continuity model to guarantee the revision, adaptation and evolution of the guide over time.