The Canary Islands is an archipelago consisting of seven islands off the coast of southern Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean. One of Spain’s autonomous communities, the Canaries lie in the transition zone between tropical and temperate regions (Climate Change Adaptation Strategy). They generally have a subtropical climate, but there is variation among the islands (e.g. Gran Canaria tends to have milder temperatures) (ibid.). The main natural hazards faced on the islands are volcanism, flooding in rivers or along the coastlines, landslides, and wildfires particularly during the summer months (Ferrer and Herrera, 2024). Populations are highly concentrated in urban areas across the islands (but mainly Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Tenerife), which – along with limited resources and isolation – make populations more vulnerable to disasters (ibid.).  

In terms of climate threats, increasing temperatures are expected to increase both the duration and severity of droughts by the end of the twenty first century, particularly in areas of higher elevation (Carrillo et al., 2023). Heatwaves and Saharan dust events are also expected to increase as the climate warms, posing a threat to human health and the flora and fauna on the islands (Hernandez et al., 2018). 

The islands are making climate adaptation plans such as the one made by Gran Canaria which promotes projects reducing GHG emissions and protecting biodiversity and coastlines.