A municipality in Alicante promotes the creation of a large Climate Emergency area

The mayor of Alcoi, Toni Francés, has announced the creation of a large Environmental Protection and Climate Emergency area, aimed at unifying efforts and strengthening local policies on sustainability, biodiversity, and public safety.

This new area, aligned with the State Pact policies on Climate Emergency promoted by the Government of Spain, brings together the main lines of action of the Town Hall to foster respect and care for the natural environment, as well as planning prevention and response to crises and emergencies, especially those arising from the effects of climate change, such as forest fires or floods. It combines the departments of Ecological Transition and Environment with those of Public Safety, Emergencies, and Civil Protection.

Francés emphasized that this reorganization represents "a step forward in understanding environmental policies and civil protection as two sides of the same coin." He further detailed that they consider protecting the environment "is also about protecting people, anticipating risks, and ensuring a sustainable future for the city, with a transversal and integrated perspective."

Raül Llopis will head this new large area, continuing to lead Emergencies and Civil Protection and also taking on the responsibilities of Ecological Transition and Environment, previously managed by Councillor Teresa Sanjuán, who will continue to oversee Housing and Municipal Heritage and will assume the areas of Linguistic Normalization and Administration Modernization.

With this decision, Alcoi consolidates a governance model that unites urban renaturalization, sustainable resource management, and disaster prevention under a single coordination.

Francés recalled that the municipality's environmental policy focuses on urban renaturalization, biodiversity, and climate resilience, aligned with the 2030 Urban Agenda and the Network of Circular Cities. "Our goal is to promote the care and creation of green infrastructure and urban regeneration, with reference projects such as the AlcoiBioUp! strategy, co-financed with European Funds and focused on the restoration of ravines, the promotion of green areas, and the promotion of urban biodiversity. Now we take a further step to integrate these actions with emergency planning and resilience to the effects of climate change."

Furthermore, the municipal government also aims to strengthen social cohesion and citizen involvement within its structure. In this regard, the Councillor for Inclusive Policies, Citizen Participation, and the Elderly, Aroa Mira, assumes the role of seventh Deputy Mayor, with the objective of enhancing social and participatory policies within the local executive.

With this new organization, the Alcoi Town Hall consolidates its commitment to a more sustainable, safe, and participatory city, capable of facing the environmental and social challenges of the present and future with an integrated and long-term vision.