Irun is set to host the seventh edition of the Uhinak International Congress on Climate Change and Coastline, taking place on October 8-9 at Ficoba. Organized by Ficoba and AZTI, the event underscores the vital collaboration between scientific expertise and administrative bodies in addressing coastal challenges.
Cristina Laborda, the mayor of Irun and president of Fundación Ficoba, emphasized the congress's value: "Uhinak brings together two worlds that must go hand in hand: scientific knowledge and management. We need to translate this knowledge into concrete decisions and actions." She added, "Sharing experiences and learning from other territories is fundamental for building more resilient cities and regions."
José Ignacio Asensio, Deputy for Sustainability of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council, highlighted the observable effects of climate change on the coast and the tools being developed. "Sea-level rise, coastal flooding, sandbank retreat, and marine heatwaves affect our ecosystems, infrastructure, and people's safety." Asensio noted Gipuzkoa's development of tools like the "Plan de Adaptación al Cambio Climático de ámbito comarcal y local" and the "Red Foral de Videometría" to "anticipate risks and turn scientific knowledge into concrete decisions."
Adolfo Uriarte, Director of Natural Heritage and Climate Change Adaptation for the Basque Government, stressed the need to combine planning and institutional coordination with concrete actions. "Coastal adaptation is a priority for the Basque Government, as a significant portion of our population, strategic infrastructure, and economic activity is located on the coast." Uriarte mentioned initiatives such as the KAIA interdepartmental coordination table and the LIFE Urban Klima 2050 project, aimed at "translating scientific knowledge and planning into real solutions."
Rogelio Pozo, CEO of AZTI, described the congress as a "meeting point between those who generate knowledge and those who must apply it." He stated, "We already know that the climate is changing. The question now is what will happen in each stretch of our coast and within what timeframe. That answer must come from science, with data and the least possible uncertainty, so that administrations and sectors can make timely decisions."
The congress program will bridge scientific research with decision-making for coastal adaptation. Researchers like Antonio Turiel (CSIC) and Melisa Menéndez (IHCantabria) will present analyses on oceanic trends and sea-level rise. Panel discussions, "Acting on Adaptation: Projects Transforming the Coastline" and "Thinking About Adaptation: Strategies and Governance for the Future Coast," will showcase experiences, including work on Zarautz beach and the revision of the Basque Coastal Protection and Planning Territorial Plan.
Uhinak will also feature 40 oral communications and 25 posters on climate change challenges, extreme coastal phenomena, mitigation, resilience, governance, and communication. The congress is promoted by Ficoba and AZTI, with support from the Basque Government's Department of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council, the Communauté d’Agglomération Pays Basque, and the Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
