Global warming threatens to reduce world agriculture by about 30% by 2050. These findings come from the report “Climate emergency, food production and Fair Trade,” presented at the Climate Summit in Egypt last November, and they underscore how climate change shapes farming and food systems around the globe. The situation is no stranger to Alicante province either.
To tackle this challenge, the Municipal Forum 2022 hosted a roundtable titled “Climate change and agricultural municipalities.” It brought together the mayors of Daya Vieja, Almoradí, Busot, Mutxamel, Bigastro, Monóvar, and Cox. All participants agreed that human activity and rising temperatures are accelerating climate shifts, which in turn bring more extreme weather events, disruptions to natural systems, and declines in agricultural and forestry productivity across the region.
According to the Aon Spain Foundation, these meteorological events are evident in the province, especially in the Vega Baja area, where a DANA in 2019 devastated the region and became one of the largest natural disasters, with damages exceeding 1.3 billion euros.
During the roundtable at the Information TV studios, the region’s mayors described the measures implemented in recent years to reduce climate impacts on agriculture. They pointed to investments in hydraulic infrastructure and water reuse policies as successful strategies to confront climate variability and extreme events.
In Almoradí, María Gómez highlighted that about twelve million euros have been dedicated to renovating the sewage system, which serves around 30% of the population. “The system dates back to the 1960s and was outdated, so this project, half funded by the City Council and the government, will be crucial. It will improve our readiness for potential flooding.” She also noted the creation of a rainwater collector and ongoing work on a new drinking water intake to complement the existing one, which deteriorated in 2019.
José Vicente Fernández of Daya Vieja highlighted investments of around 3 million euros in recent years, including large‑scale projects like agricultural drainage. He defended the importance of safeguarding this economic sector affected by climate change and recalled that the 2019 DANA wiped out 100% of the seasonal plantings in the municipality. He urged Baja municipalities to “think globally.”
Teresa Belmonte in Bigastro pointed to the CV-95 action plan to minimize flood damage, noting that floodplain parks are designed to conserve water and that new collectors will enable water reuse in agriculture.
Cox’s Antonio Bernabeu regarded recent studies as aiming to cure rather than control. He warned that similar events to those seen in 2019 could recur, emphasizing that even now, drought and rainfall are intensifying with the climate shift. He argued for continued advocacy and support for farmers who endure the worst impacts but also provide critical resilience in prevention efforts.
Outside the Vega Baja region, Busot mayor Alejandro Morant stressed the need to invest in agriculture to counter climate change and to improve the landscape’s quality. “We are backing agricultural development with water extraction wells and a 50% subsidy for landowners with more than half a hectare, enabling us to plant over 12,000 almond trees on abandoned land and add olive trees. This also enhances the municipality’s image and creates natural fire barriers,” Morant noted.
He also highlighted the importance of balancing photovoltaic projects with agricultural land use. The municipality received seven solar plant proposals in a 33-square-kilometer area, and only two were accepted.
The roundtable participants welcomed Consell’s decision to limit undeveloped land available for photovoltaic installations to 3% of the area. They also highlighted Mutxamel’s commitment to reviving medium-to-large-scale cultivation of the traditional Mutxamel tomato and supporting the recovery of vacant plantations with new private sector investments.
In Medio Vinalopó, Monóvar’s mayor, Alejandro García, lamented the damage to vineyards and reiterated the need for solar deployment to harmonize energy with farming. “We have lost 40% of vineyard land in Monóvar and 30% in the province. Two decades ago, the state had twice as many hectares of vineyards as La Rioja, and now we sit at only 20%. We cannot afford further losses,” he stated.
Looking ahead, all speakers agreed municipalities should pursue sustainability, mobility, prudent water management, and responsible consumption policies to build resilient communities. Many have chosen or are considering upgrading public lighting to modern LEDs, installing solar panels on public buildings, and forming energy communities to decarbonize mobility and waste. Daya Vieja, for instance, is adopting a selective, door-to-door waste collection system.