Zarautz presents proposals to the public to protect the seawall from the impact of climate change

30/07/2025

On Wednesday, 23 July, Zarautz Town Council held an information session open to the public to show the work carried out in recent years with the aim of increasing the town’s adaptation to climate change. The session was part of the European LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 project and discussed the progress made as part of the study of the coast and possible adaptation measures in the face of rising sea levels and the effects of coastal storms. 

The event was held at the Modelo cinema, brought together around a hundred residents and was attended by the Mayor, Xabier Txurruka Fernández, and the Head of the Local Technical Office, as well as representatives of the Basque Government, the AZTI technology centre and the joint venture in charge of the technical study. The Basque Government was represented by Adolfo Uriarte Villalba, Director of Natural Heritage and Adaptation to Climate Change, and Ihobe was represented by the Director of Climate Action, Mari Mar Alonso Martín. 

Presentation of Urban Klima 2050 and technical diagnosis 

During her speech, Mari Mar Alonso Martín presented the general goals of Urban Klima 2050, and highlighted the role of Zarautz within the project. She explained that this coastal town is involved in several climate change adaptation pilot actions, such as the analysis of alternatives for adaptation to climate change of the town’s seafront, which is part of the action studying adaptation measures in coastal areas. Two videos were played during her speech: one showing the Urban Klima 2050 pilot projects on climate change mitigation and adaptation and one showing the impact of the storm surge event of 28 January on the coastal town. 

Then, Miguel Otero, the joint venture engineer in charge of the project, explained in detail the current state of the seawall and identified the most vulnerable areas of Zarautz beach. His presentation addressed the technical solutions analysed to deal with climate risks. 

Proposed measures for the seawall 

• The interventions, focused on the Narros-Munoa area, include: 
• Demolition of the existing stairs and the Munoa cantilever 
• Raising of the promenade by 50 centimetres over a stretch of 158 metres 
• Construction of a new ramp access to the beach 
• Installation of a breakwater wall to mitigate the impact of waves 

These measures are open to change once the public’s proposals have been analysed. The works have an estimated budget of €1.5m, and they will increase the resilience of the seafront and improve safety in the event of extreme weather events. The work is scheduled to begin in late 2025 or early 2026 and will last approximately one year. 

Citizen participation and co-creation of solutions 

After the technical presentations, there was a Q&A session where the public was able to ask questions and express their concerns directly to the people in charge of the project. This dynamic exchange of ideas reinforces one of the main axes of Urban Klima 2050: encouraging citizen participation and the co-creation of climate change solutions. 

In this regard, Zarautz Town Council has set up an online form for citizens to submit queries or comments. It is available on its website: zarautz.eus/urban-klima-aurkezpena-inprimakia