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Mostrando entradas de marzo, 2024

Contaminantes emergentes en Canarias

  Emerging pollutants (EPs) include a wide array of chemical compounds, as well as some microorganisms, which presence was unknown or unmeasurable until recently, or have recently started to be considered a threat towards the environment or animal and human health. No clear or homogeneous regulations exist for their measurement or control, and efforts should be made to assess their presence and offer solutions for their safe management, as well as to achieve an optimal protection of water resources. A previous study performed by our research group thoroughly studied a wide profile of EPs in El Hierro Island (Canary Islands) for the first time. Now, we present the study of the same panel of 70 EPs in La Palma Island (Canary Islands). 14 samples were collected in 2021, at different locations in La Palma island, representing seven municipalities (Los Llanos de Aridane, Santa Cruz de la Palma, El Paso, Breña Baja, Tazacorte, Barlovento and Fuencaliente) and four installation types (Piezome

Classification of geotechnical units and their associated slope movements for application to civil engineering in volcanic territories

 Slope movements are one of the natural hazards that most affect volcanic islands and often cause alarm to society, as they produce considerable material losses, affect communications and basic community services and, on occasion, involve the loss of human lives. Based on the classification of geotechnical units of the Canary Islands and the characteristic slope movements observed in each of them, the main goal of this article has been to elaborate a classification of movements versus units, as a tool for the management landslides hazards in volcanic environments. The applied methodology was based on the types of slope movements defined by the USGS, and on the research team three decades of experience of the study of geotechnical characterisation and slope instability of volcanic formations. A graphical classification of the possible movements affecting the volcanic geotechnical units has been prepared to make a preliminary estimate of the types of movements that will affect a slope or

Building resilience in territories vulnerable to climate change: a practical approach through forecasting

  El cambio climático se ha consolidado como uno de los mayores desafíos globales que enfrentamos en la actualidad, afectando a comunidades de manera diversa y profunda. Al mismo tiempo, la Agenda 2030 de las Naciones Unidas ha establecido los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) como una hoja de ruta integral para abordar problemas interrelacionados, incluyendo la pobreza, la desigualdad, la salud y, crucialmente, la acción climática. A medida que aumentan la población, la economía y el consumo, también lo hacen las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, por lo que, a menos que se tomen medidas drásticas ahora, será más difícil y costoso adaptarse al cambio. De esta manera, las Islas Canarias se presentan como uno de los territorios más vulnerables, debido a su limitación en territorio y recursos, además, algunas de las islas se han declarado saturadas debido al crecimiento excesivo de visitantes, lo que aumenta la presión a la que se ve sometido el territorio y los residentes.

Proposal for Nature-Based Solutions and Artificial Aquifer Recharge as Measures for Improving Water Management on the Island of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain)

  The Canary Islands are an archipelago belonging to Spain, which is, in turn, divided into two provinces. The eastern province is the closest to the Sahara Desert, with the island of Fuerteventura being only 100 km from the African coast. Additionally, Fuerteventura is the oldest island in the Canary archipelago and one of the islands where the desertification process is most acute. That is why, in this article, we have reviewed the current state of water resources on the island of Fuerteventura and how nature-based solutions can be a great environmental solution. Specifically, the artificial recharge of its aquifer through lagoon systems can be fundamental to recover its biodiversity, improve the quantity and quality of its water resources, and gradually slow down the desertification processes affecting the island. Finally, we present the main conclusions, especially after previous experience in the feasibility studies of artificial recharge of aquifers on another of the Canary Islan