Canary Islands officials push for institutional and regulatory reforms

Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo has called for the transformation of public institutions to better adapt to rapid global changes and improve administrative efficiency. During the ‘Gobernar el futuro’ forum, Clavijo emphasized the need for public policies to anticipate future challenges through collaboration between government, universities, and social agents.

In environmental policy, the regional government is pushing for regulatory changes regarding energy storage. The Ministry of Ecological Transition is reviewing proposals to regulate battery use, which officials say is essential for increasing renewable energy penetration and ensuring grid resilience in the archipelago.

Regarding water management, Minister Manuel Miranda has warned that the Canary Islands cannot meet the requirements of a new European directive on urban wastewater treatment within the proposed ten-year timeframe. The directive lowers the population threshold for mandatory treatment from 2,000 to 1,000 inhabitants. The regional government is requesting extended deadlines and specific funding to account for the islands' unique geography and resource constraints. To assist smaller municipalities, a technical support office is being planned to manage these complex sanitation projects.

Additionally, tensions persist regarding the Coastal Law. Local advocacy groups are calling for a suspension of demolitions in coastal areas while a legal reform remains stalled in the Spanish Congress.