SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE Nov. 5 (EUROPA PRESS) –
El Sauzal (Tenerife) is set to host the ‘III Sustainable Canary Islands Meeting’ next Friday, themed ‘Responsible Islands: The New Rurality’. This event is organised by the Presidency of the Government of the Canary Islands, in collaboration with the Canarian Federation of Municipalities and other organisations.
This announcement was made by the Vice Minister of the Presidency, Alfonso Cabello, alongside the president of FECAM, Mari Brito, during a press conference where they concurred that the meeting will assist in tackling the issues surrounding the Demographic Challenge and Territorial Cohesion while further advancing Sustainable Development in Rural Areas.
The aim of these sessions is to delineate the guidelines for the preparation and implementation of the Agendas for Rural Development within the scope of the Canarian Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030. Furthermore, they seek to delve into the relationship between rural innovation and sustainable development—an opportunity that hinges not just on public actions and policies, but also on the dedication of individuals involved in each territory,” emphasised Alfonso Cabello.
President Mari Brito of Fecam expressed the Federation’s commitment to continue pursuing co-governance, “which will help us to make progress towards a more cohesive Canary Islands from economic, social, and territorial perspectives.”
Brito acknowledged the chance for municipalities to engage actively in this event, “which will facilitate learning and help us continue to establish the foundations for planning based on consensus.”
Additionally, the deputy minister underscored the introduction of the ROUTES 2030 initiative within the programme. This initiative is promoted by the regional Executive in partnership with EMERGE and is currently being developed in El Hierro, Gáldar in Gran Canaria, and Tinajo in Lanzarote. The objective is to create alliances between traditional productive sectors and innovation “while generating new opportunities in Canarian municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants” through the establishment of a challenge bank, identified by various profiles of individuals.
PENINSULAR DEPOPULATION
The conferences “will also bring us closer to the urban and rural agendas of Palencia and Asturias, rural Granada, the urban agenda of La Palma, and the realities of depopulation in Castilla La Mancha, allowing us to discover common areas for collaboration and learning that will also consider the situation in the 47 Canarian municipalities, the focus of this initiative, as presented by the president of Fecam,” Cabello elaborated.
The vice-counsellor recalled that the Government is currently engaged in parallel processes aimed at achieving economic and sustainable development within our community. Therefore, he highlighted that at the El Sauzal meeting, “the most remarkable projects of the pilot groups composed of experts within the framework of the Canarian Agenda 2030 will be showcased, with significant participation from both Canarian public universities.”
Furthermore, he mentioned that “these sessions are directly connected to the efforts that have been undertaken in the discussions formed following the ‘I Conference of Presidents’, with conclusions remaining open to contributions from civil society until November 15.”
In that document, he noted, “fascinating ideas have been proposed for municipalities with less than 10,000 inhabitants on strategic matters, such as housing, innovation, territorial planning, attracting young talent, enhancing local appeal, sustainable agriculture and livestock, as well as optimising energy use and improving mobility.”
