A meeting between GENESIS experts and the public took place. Friday’s Consortium Meeting brought the partners together to present their latest results. On Saturday, the experts met with the public, and through joint discussion they explored solutions related to climate change, digitalization, and water governance.
The GENESIS project brought together its partners across the Canary Islands and opened a space for dialogue with the public. Meeting face-to-face helps facilitate discussions on topics closely connected to GENESIS, such as climate change, digitalization, and water governance.
The Citizen Forum took place on the island of La Palma, in the town of Los Llanos de Aridane, from Friday, 28 November, to Saturday, 29 November 2025. The event gathered around 60 participants, including experts and members of the public, who explored solutions for water management across Macaronesia.
The meeting began on Friday morning with a Consortium Meeting, where partners presented the progress achieved so far within the GENESIS project and shared new approaches and solutions. The first half of the day was led by Iván Hernández (AIM), followed by a coffee break with light refreshments before the presentations continued. A joint lunch at three o’clock formally concluded the Consortium Meeting. In the afternoon, partners worked together to rehearse and prepare for the public event scheduled for Saturday.
Saturday’s Citizen Forum opened at nine in the morning with participant registration and coffee. The forum was introduced by Gara Sentís and Alba Perera (Lawarita S.Coop.Can.), followed by presentations from Alejandro García (IGME-CSIC) on “Cómo predecir el futuro del agua en La Palma y Macaronesia” and from Iván Hernández (AIM) on “Soluciones resilientes en acción: demostradores para el futuro del agua en La Palma.” Afterwards, the organisation briefly introduced the structure of the working groups for the afternoon sessions, followed by a short break.
The afternoon focused on collaboration and collective problem-solving: improving water availability and resilience to drought, strengthening water infrastructure, integrating digital technologies to reduce losses across the water cycle, and ensuring public involvement through reliable information and transparent decision-making. The collaborative workshop concluded with a plenary session where the groups shared their main ideas and recommendations. Among the key points highlighted was the need for strong cooperation between institutions and citizens when addressing water-related challenges.
To close the event, participants were invited to fill in a questionnaire and share additional ideas on how the GENESIS project could further contribute to improving water management in the region.
