Islands, water, and climate change: Canary Islands experiences presented in Komiža

On Friday, July 10, 2026, a lecture was held at the Vis Archipelago Geopark Visitor Center in Komiža “Islands, Water and Climate Change: The Experience of the Canary Islands for the Croatian Islands – Tools and Strategies”, delivered by Prof. Juan Carlos Santamarta from the University of La Laguna.

The lecture focused on the challenges of water resource management on islands, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of the Canary Islands and the potential for applying them to Croatian islands.

Participants learned about issues such as groundwater over-extraction, falling aquifer levels, and saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers. Traditional groundwater collection systems, such as wells and galleries, which play a vital role in the water supply of volcanic islands, were also presented.

Special attention was given to desalination, which serves as a key water source for some of the Canary Islands. Large tourist facilities and hotel complexes with high water consumption—including pools, gardens, and other amenities—often use their own desalination systems to secure part of their water needs and reduce pressure on the public water supply network.

The specific approach to water management in the Canary Islands is also noteworthy, as public resource management is intertwined with historically acquired private rights to extract and use groundwater.

Prof. Santamarta also introduced the digital platform SICMA Canarias, developed for the spatial monitoring of climate, water, and other risks. The platform integrates various types of data, enabling better planning, vulnerability assessment, and decision-making related to island spatial management.

The lecture also provided an opportunity for networking and discussing future collaboration. The Vis Archipelago Geopark and partners from the Canary Islands are planning joint applications for Horizon Europe programs, through which the Vis Archipelago could become a pilot area for the development and implementation of a platform similar to the one already in use in the Canary Islands.

Such a tool could integrate data on water, climate change, natural risks, and spatial planning, providing a more robust professional foundation for the long-term and sustainable management of the Vis Archipelago.

We would like to thank Prof. Juan Carlos Santamarta for the insightful lecture, the exchange of experiences, and his openness to future collaboration, as well as everyone who attended the event.