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Wetland4Change: MEDSEA in Valencia to Explore Natural Climate Solutions Through Wetlands

The MEDSEA team participated in the second Consortium meeting of the Wetland4Change project in Valencia from November 26 to 28, 2024. The meeting was organized by local project partners, the University of Valencia. The Interreg Euro-MED project aims to validate transferable solutions based on wetland conservation and restoration for climate adaptation and mitigation, promoting the adoption of scientific knowledge and governance mechanisms.

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The Albufera Natural Park
The Valencia meeting took place less than a month after the devastating flood caused by the DANA, an isolated depression at high altitude that resulted in the deaths of at least 223 people (see our previous article). The event saw broad participation, particularly during the public session on November 28, which involved stakeholders from pilot sites, research center representatives, and institutional leaders. Discussions addressed topics such as wetland management, the strategic role of these ecosystems in reducing water pollution and sequestering carbon dioxide, and strategies for governance and stakeholder engagement to integrate these ecosystems into climate change mitigation frameworks.
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Wetland4Change: Consortium Meeting 26-28 November 2024 

Carles Sanchis, President of the Management Council of Albufera Natural Park, provided a detailed account of the wetland system's condition during the DANA. He reported that “in the area where the storm was most intense, 641 mm of rain fell, equivalent to the annual rainfall in Paris, with 187 mm recorded in just one hour—a record for the entire Iberian Peninsula since precipitation data has been recorded.”

He explained, “The system was not in optimal condition. Structural damages to the water system, primarily due to hypertrophy caused by inefficiencies in the sewer system dating back to the 1960s and '70s, led to significant pollutant influx into the wetlands. As the system was recovering from this severe issue, new problems related to climate change emerged, such as more frequent and intense droughts, intensified storms like the recent DANA, rising sea levels, and increasing salinity in the wetlands. Although the ecosystem can slowly adapt, these changes pose serious threats to local economic activities like rice farming and other crops.” 

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Carles Sanchis, President of the Management Council of Albufera Natural Park,

In this context, wetlands represent a possible solution for mitigating the effects of climate change due to their ability to sequester carbon, regulate floods, reduce pollutants, conserve biodiversity, and protect local communities from extreme climate events.

Professor Antonio Camacho, Director of the Limnology Group at the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Professor of Ecology at the University of Valencia, emphasized: "Ecosystems, especially aquatic ones, provide essential services for human well-being. The Albufera and its natural context played a crucial role in mitigating the floods caused by the DANA that hit Valencia and the Horta Sud area last month. Thanks to the wetland, the water flow was managed and distributed over a wide area, spreading into the lake and rice fields."

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Albufera Lagoon pre and post DANA
One of the two solutions tested in the Wetland4Change project focuses on flood regulation through wetlands. These ecosystems act as natural sponges, absorbing large amounts of water during flood events and reducing the impact on surrounding areas. The project aims to optimize this flood regulation function through precise monitoring and targeted management. To this end, it is developing innovative methodologies based on detailed data collection to assess this capacity and integrate proposed solutions into territorial management and climate change adaptation plans.

Manuela Puddu, MEDSEA project manager for Wetland4Change, commented:
“Wetland4Change promotes the protection and conservation of wetlands through innovative and scientific solutions, guiding natural resource management and governance policies to address climate change. The project aims to enhance adaptation, mitigation, and risk prevention, leveraging the benefits of wetlands, which are essential for climate regulation, water management, flood reduction, and carbon sequestration. At the same time, it strengthens stakeholders’ knowledge and capacities to implement conservation and restoration actions, aligning with local and international priorities.”
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Manuela Puddu, Wetland4Change project manager at MEDSEAFoundation

Focus on Carbon Sequestration Capacity

The Albufera Natural Park, one of the five wetlands studied in the Wetland4Change project, alongside sites in France, Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria, was the focus of fieldwork and training activities. On November 27, participants explored the artificial wetlands of Tancat de L’Illa and the Biological Station laboratories of Albufera. Under the guidance of researchers led by Professor Camacho, they delved into greenhouse gas (GHG) measurement techniques across various habitats and learned the key considerations for proper in-situ sampling. Participants also visited the Devesa Sud area, where, between 2003 and 2017, a large-scale renaturalization project restored beach, dune, and back-dune ecosystems.

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Rilevamenti sul sequestro di CO2 nelle zone umide, a cura dell’Istituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva

The MEDSEA team presented a mapping of data necessary for calculating carbon sequestration already available for the Marceddì wetland in Terralba, a pilot site where the Foundation will test and validate flood regulation measurement tools. Additionally, they provided updates on the progress of communication activities across the project, managed by the Foundation.

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The Wetland4Change team in Valencia
For more information about the meeting and the Wetland4Change project, visit the website.

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