Island facts
Arousa is a small island of 7km² in the middle of the Ría de Arousa, known for its beautiful landscapes, beaches, nature and rich cultural life. It is connected to the mainland by a 2km long bridge. Most of Arousa’s 5,000 inhabitants work in the fishing and mussel industry.
The main source of energy on Arousa is wind, but the island struggles with energy efficiency in buildings, and a significant transport problem: with very few public transport facilities on the island, there is a circulation of around 3,000 cars, as well as a high number of small and bigger boats used by the inhabitants for work.
A community threatened by climate change
With sea-level rise pending on the horizon, the already small island of Arousa will become even smaller, threatening the living environment of the island’s inhabitants. On top of that, with sea temperatures rising, the inhabitant’s sustenance is in danger.
This makes the local community highly concerned about climate change, both for existing and coming generations.
A small island with a big vision
The islanders recognise the opportunity climate mitigation brings to their community, such as the potential to reinvest money saved through using less energy. Their aim is to build a vision for their energy transition and identify creative ways to finance concrete projects led by the island’s inhabitants.