Co-designing Visions and Adaptation Pathways in the Upper Genil River Basin, Spain

Abstract

The participatory process carried out in the Upper Genil River Basin (UGRB) forms part of the broader STAGES-IPCC project, coordinated by the Spanish Geological and Mining Institute (IGME–CSIC) and the University of Granada (UGR). STAGES-IPCC aims to analyze the potential impacts of climate change and develop adaptation strategies for water resources management in the UGRB. The basin, located in the province of Granada, represents a particularly relevant case study due to its strong dependence on irrigation, increasing exposure to droughts and temperature extremes, and the competing demands between agricultural, urban, and environmental uses.

The participatory activities described in this report were designed to complement and inform the quantitative modelling exercises of STAGES-IPCC through the integration of practitioners and policy makers knowledge, in a two-way exchange. On the one hand, the participatory process and stakeholders knowledge supported the development of regional visions and adaptation pathways that are coherent with global and European science-based scenarios. On the other hand, the modelling results and assumptions were validated and refined with stakeholders in order to ensure transparency and understanding of the scientific projections, but more over make them more realistic by bringing knowledge from policy and practice, making results more relevant and actionable for decision-makers.

By engaging local actors, administrations and technical institutions, the process sought to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and other knowledge domains, ensuring that proposed strategies reflect both environmental constraints and local socio-economic realities. This participatory strategy with its dual focus was implemented through two participatory workshops implemented during 2025 (17 July 2025 and 25 September 2025).