Line of action:

Status:

Execution date:

2020 marked the deadline for achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including those for the effective and equitable declaration and management of protected areas. These spaces, in addition to being strategic places to protect biodiversity and other heritage values, contribute to the general well-being of people and provide crucial opportunities for climate change adaptation and mitigation and for the promotion of environmental education for sustainability. The evolution of all protected areas in Spain has been analyzed in the EUROPARC-Spain Yearbook series since 2002.

In this sense, this project has updated the basic useful information for the Spanish Inventory of Natural Heritage and Biodiversity, and relevant cases have been provided that show the contribution of protected areas to the fight against climate change and the promotion of human health. In addition, specific recommendations have been collected to support their role as tools for environmental education for sustainability.

The overall objective of the project has been to show the contribution of protected areas in Spain to climate change adaptation, human health and environmental education for sustainability.

The specific objectives were as follows:

• To analyze the current state of protected areas in Spain and their contribution to climate change adaptation, the health of society and environmental education for sustainability.
• To provide inspiring examples in attractive formats to the professional sector of biodiversity conservation and other multiplying agents (journalists, socio-economic agents, educators, scientists, etc.) on the role of protected areas, not only for the conservation of biodiversity, but also in the face of climate change, human health and environmental education for sustainability.

• Compilation and analysis of basic information on all protected areas in Spain in terms of protected surface, planning and management in the period 2019-21.
• Compilation of 9 demonstrative experiences in the fight against climate change in different protected areas and incorporation of such evidence in an online platform of experiences and in the AdapteCCA website.
• Compilation of 4 cases of best practices in protected areas, which highlight the benefits that properly managed natural areas provide for human health and well-being, and their integration into the aforementioned platform of experiences and AdapteCCA.
• Compilation of 20 recommendations on the contribution of protected areas to environmental education for sustainability.
• Compilation of 10 scientific outreach materials (articles, blogs, videos, etc.) on climate change, health and sustainability that make visible the contributions of protected areas to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, improve human health and promote sustainability.
• Creation of an online platform to integrate all the materials collected in the project and dissemination to a wide audience.
• Dissemination and communication of the project to convey the benefits that protected areas provide to society through participation in different radio and television programs, webinars, informative articles, publications on the project website and the production of materials, such as a yearbook, a summary booklet and a map of protected areas.

The ADAPTASALUDEA project has made it possible to study the state of protected areas in Spain by analyzing a set of indicators related to the number, typology, planning and management of these areas in the period 2019-2021. The results show that, in 2020, Spain reached 36.2% of the protected land area and 12.3% of the protected marine area. It was also verified that it is the European country that contributes the most to the Natura 2000 Network, with more than 22 million hectares, which represents 27.4% of the country’s surface area.

This analysis has also found significant progress in planning, as 93% of national parks and 88% of natural parks already have their Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG), while 83% of Natura 2000 Network sites have approved management instruments . Finally, the analysis carried out allows us to affirm that Spain complies with many of its international commitments by having more than 27% of the land area included in the Natura 2000 Network, more than 36% if biosphere reserves are taken into account, and more than 12% of marine waters protected.

In addition, in order to disseminate the benefits of protected areas and to generate behavioral changes in society, concrete cases have been identified to illustrate the contribution of protected areas to the fight against climate change and their role in health. Thus, a total of 9 demonstrative experiences of the fight against climate change in different protected areas and another 4 cases of good practices in these spaces have been compiled. In addition, a list of 20 recommendations has been established that highlight the contribution of protected areas to environmental education for sustainability.

All of this has been included in the 2020 Yearbook on the state of protected areas in Spain and, in a more summarized and informative way, in a summary booklet and a map. The following web platform has also been created
WIKIREDEUROPARC
has been created to create a repository of the aforementioned demonstrative experiences and cases of best practices, in addition to scientific material in an informative format that illustrates the role of protected areas in climate change, health and environmental education. This platform was created with a vocation of continuity and remains open so that new good practices can be incorporated.

Finally, the project has been disseminated with the aim of transmitting the benefits that protected areas provide to society, both to the key agents in conservation and protected areas (conservationist fabric and competent authorities), and to the general public through various channels, such as the issuance of press releases and participation in different radio and television programs.