The Minister of Sustainability and Environment of the Andalusian Government, Catalina García, has announced in Brussels the start of the work for Andalusia to lead a new European ‘LIFE’ project focused on the circular economy, a strategic line that the community is firmly promoting as a lever for ecological transformation and opportunities for businesses and municipalities. This announcement took place during the meeting she held with the director of the European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure, and the Environment (CINEA), Paloma Aba.
Catalina García has explained that «Andalusia has a solid track record in the circular economy, supported by pioneering legislation and ambitious planning,» and has noted that «this experience has encouraged us to take a step further and apply as the coordinating region for a new ‘LIFE’ project, convinced that the future is built by recovering, reusing, valuing, and regenerating.»
During the meeting, the Minister highlighted the approval of the Andalusian Circular Economy Law, which she described as «a modern and cross-cutting tool that has positioned our region at the forefront of Europe in this area.» This text, approved in March 2023, has established a regulatory framework that is enabling the transformation of traditional sectors and opening up new ‘green’ job niches linked to reuse, recycling, repair, and industrial symbiosis.
She also mentioned that 217.6 million euros were mobilized in Andalusia in 2024 to improve waste collection and treatment and thus move towards a fully circular model, with 146.56 million being allocated directly to municipalities. She also noted that this new ‘LIFE’ project will be framed within the recent Andalusian Circular Economy Strategy. In this regard, she emphasized the upcoming implementation of Local Plans, which will allow municipalities to have their own roadmap.
The Minister of Sustainability and Environment also emphasized that «Andalusia’s leadership in this new ‘LIFE’ proposal will be based on our ability to connect the local with the European, with tangible and measurable actions on the ground.» She indicated that «the new project we are promoting will address circularity challenges from an applied perspective, focusing on multi-level governance and citizen involvement as key elements to make it part of people’s daily lives.»
In this context, she highlighted the importance of the Andalusian Environmental Management Law (LEGAM), whose draft is currently being processed, stating that «it establishes innovative mechanisms that promote resource recirculation and waste valorization, by turning waste into a resource, and promoting eco-innovation, material efficiency, and green job creation, reinforcing Andalusia’s commitment to a sustainable and circular economic model.»
Catalina García, in a moment of the meeting held with the director of the European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure, and the Environment (CINEA), Paloma Aba.
In the context of this same meeting with the CINEA director, García reviewed the Andalusian role in other ‘LIFE’ programs of reference, such as the projects ‘LIFE LynxConnect’, ‘LIFE Cerceta Pardilla’, or ‘LIFE Ibis Eremita’. «These projects have been true examples of success and transnational cooperation, establishing Andalusia as a European reference in the conservation of endangered species,» she said. Specifically, she recalled that «thanks to the work started in Andalusia with the Iberian lynx, this species has gone from being endangered to being considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.» She also highlighted that Andalusia will support a new ‘LIFE’ Project in September to coordinate the conservation of the Iberian lynx on the Iberian Peninsula. A ‘LIFE’ project that will be in effect between 2026 and 2031 with the aim of developing new ecological connectivity infrastructures, improving genetic management, and strengthening its resilience to climate change.
The Minister of Sustainability expressed that «these results are the result of continuous commitment to science, environmental management, and collaboration between administrations and sectors,» emphasizing that «this same spirit is what we want to now transfer to the circular economy, with a new generation of European projects in which Andalusia plays a leading role.»
Andalusia, a European laboratory for climate change
Subsequently, Catalina García was received at the Berlaymont building by Miguel García Jones, a member of the cabinet of the European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero Emissions, and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra. During this meeting, the Minister shared the comprehensive approach that the Regional Government is applying in the fight against climate change and announced that Andalusia is «working on a strategic document that will assess long-term climate risks in all areas of the Government.»
The document, currently being drafted, will integrate the climate perspective in key sectors such as public health, agriculture, education, the economy, employment, and territorial planning. «We want to anticipate the impacts of climate change and be a prepared region. We want to be a region that reacts, that anticipates, and that already implements adaptation measures with a structural and interdepartmental vision,» she stated.
In this regard, she recalled that Andalusia has been recognized by the European Committee as a demo region within the ‘ClimEmpower’ European project, framed in the Climate Change Adaptation Mission, «making us a true European laboratory to test policies, technologies, and indicators that can later be replicated in other territories on the continent.»
Catalina García detailed that this climate preparedness approach is complemented by technical tools developed by the Ministry, such as the local climate scenarios viewer or the Andalusian Catalog of CO₂ Absorption Projects. The latter includes 27 actions in public forests that will allow reforesting over 2,100 hectares, planting one and a half million trees and shrubs, and absorbing over 124,000 tons of carbon.
She also emphasized the momentum of the Andalusian Emissions Compensation System (SACE), which «already has over 300 organizations and nearly 600 carbon footprints registered, reflecting the growing interest of Andalusian businesses in joining the climate action voluntarily.»
In terms of innovation, she noted that Andalusia is leading the implementation of the first European blue carbon project, to be carried out in the Bay of Cádiz Natural Park, with the participation of companies such as Navantia, Moeve, Eulen, Metro de Málaga, or Iberostar. This project will restore marshes and seagrass meadows to enhance their carbon capture capacity, under AENOR-certified standards.
A structured climate action with results
García emphasized that «since 2019, we have taken very firm steps in Andalusia to make climate action a cross-cutting policy, supported by planning, investment, and participation.» In this context, she highlighted that Andalusia was the first to approve a Climate Action Plan (CAP), implementing 231 measures worth 2.616 billion euros.
She further underscored that, in 2023 alone, 1.176 billion euros were invested in climate-related actions, representing 12.6% of the total programs with recognized obligations and an effort equivalent to 2.62% of the Regional Government’s budget. Additionally, as she pointed out, this quadrupled the effort made in 2020. «We are demonstrating that the fight against climate change is compatible with economic growth, job creation, and social cohesion,» she stated.
The Minister cited the creation of the Interdepartmental Climate Change Commission, the Andalusian Climate Council, the network of observatories, the integration of carbon footprint in public events, and municipal plans as examples of this cross-cutting approach, which are already being developed with technical support from the Ministry.
During her stay in Brussels, Catalina García appreciated «the growing support that Andalusia is receiving as a serious region, with planning, long-term vision, and execution capacity in the environmental field.» She recalled that nine good practices from Andalusia have been recognized by the European Committee of the Regions. «Europe needs committed regions with real solutions on the ground, and Andalusia is responding with actions, pioneering laws, investments, technical tools, and international alliances,» she affirmed. Finally, she thanked both European institutions for their receptiveness and expressed that «our vocation is to continue adding and cooperating from a constructive and transformative perspective, where Andalusia adapts to climate change and drives it from its uniqueness and commitment to the planet.»
