Published November 16, 2025 | Category: Infrastructure

TL;DR: The Palomares PA-4 urbanisation project — a plan for 1,600 homes and a hotel on a fragile coastal area — has received regional approval despite flood risks, ecosystem vulnerability, water pressure and proximity to Palomares’ radiological monitoring zone. Environmental groups warn that the project ignores long-term climate projections and coastal regression.

Palomares PA-4 urbanisation project: a new mega-development

Overview

The PA-4 urbanisation sector in Palomares proposes the construction of 1,600 homes and a hotel next to Quitapellejos beach, in one of the most environmentally delicate zones of Cuevas del Almanzora. The regional environmental ruling, issued by the Junta de Andalucía, concludes that the project is “compatible” as long as extensive conditions are met.

Environmental groups argue the opposite, warning that the project could damage fragile coastal habitats, increase flood risks and add population pressure to an area already experiencing water constraints and coastal regression.

Nuclear context surrounding the Palomares PA-4 urbanisation project

The 1966 accident involving US thermonuclear bombs dispersed plutonium dust over several hectares of Palomares. Although partially cleaned, the area still maintains monitored land under the supervision of CIEMAT.

The PA-4 area sits just outside the radiological perimeter, but environmental groups highlight that the contaminated soil has never been fully removed, and future decontamination could be complicated by large-scale residential occupation.

A fragile ecosystem: coastal sand formations, vegetation and biodiversity

The project area contains low coastal sand formations, halophytic vegetation and habitat zones identified as environmentally sensitive. The Spanish ruling explicitly acknowledges the presence of dunas and habitats of community interest, even if these formations are not visually large dunes.

Ecologists warn that proposed “restoration” and “transplanting” measures are unreliable, as coastal sand systems depend on wind dynamics, sediment supply and storm patterns that cannot be artificially replicated.

Water pressure and desalination dependency in Levante Almeriense

Over the past decade, water supply for Levante Almeriense has required emergency interventions. The region depends heavily on the Galasa network and the Carboneras desalination plant. The Junta accepts existing certificates but environmental groups argue that adding an estimated 4,000 new residents increases long-term vulnerability given past shortages and infrastructure failures.

Flood zones, sea-level rise and coastal regression

The Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica (MITECO) identifies the Quitapellejos sector as an area experiencing:

• coastal regression,
• stronger seasonal storms,
• low land elevation,
• increasing exposure due to climate change.

The original planning documents proposed channelling rainwater through streets towards the shoreline—an approach ecologists consider unacceptable under modern coastal-risk standards.

Urban planning timeline: an old licence in a new climate reality

The PA-4 sector holds longstanding urbanisation rights dating back decades. This older licence underpins the current project, despite being drafted in a period without today’s climate science, sea-level projections or updated coastal protection laws.

Environmental organisations argue that inactivity over such a long time should invalidate the licence; however, the Junta has not questioned its validity.

The municipal position and the political dimension

The Ayuntamiento de Cuevas del Almanzora supports the project, citing a lack of hotel beds, economic benefits and competition with neighbouring coastal towns. The position has remained consistent across political parties.

Environmental groups counter that PA-4 is the wrong location for high-density development due to flood risks, ecosystem fragility and the still-unresolved radiological legacy.

Comparisons with Mojácar, Vera Playa and Terreros

Supporters compare the project to existing developed areas such as Mojácar and Vera Playa. Ecologists argue that these comparisons ignore fundamental differences:

• Mojácar has a longer and more stable coastline.
• Vera Playa was urbanised before modern regulations.
• Terreros shows the risk of speculative projects that leave unfinished streets and infrastructure.

Tourism, hotel capacity and economic expectations

Cuevas del Almanzora lacks hotel accommodation, and supporters argue a new hotel could stimulate tourism. However, ecologists warn that:

• Water demand will increase.
• Sewage systems depending on pumping stations are vulnerable to storms.
• Flood-exposed coastal real estate may be risky long-term.

Conclusion

The approval of the Palomares PA-4 urbanisation project highlights the ongoing tension between economic development and environmental protection along Almeria’s fragile coastline. While technically allowed under strict conditions, the combined risks — coastal regression, flood exposure, ecosystem fragility and proximity to monitored nuclear-contaminated land — raise questions about its long-term sustainability.

For more updates from across the province, visit our Nature & Environment category.

Published November 2025 | Category: Nature & Environment

TL;DR: This Sunday, Las Negras hosts a community cleanup with international volunteers, supported by the Níjar Town Hall and funded through the EU’s European Solidarity Corps.

Las Negras cleanup this Sunday: volunteers unite to protect Cabo de Gata–Níjar Natural Park

The village of Las Negras will host a community cleanup this Sunday, 16 November, bringing together the Níjar Town Hall and an international team of volunteers. The event aims to protect one of the most environmentally sensitive areas of the Cabo de Gata–Níjar Natural Park while raising awareness among residents and visitors.

Overview

The activity is part of a month-long programme funded by the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), which brings young volunteers from across Europe to collaborate on environmental initiatives in the Níjar municipality. The volunteers are currently based in Fernán Pérez and are participating in coastal cleanups, neighbourhood maintenance and environmental workshops in local schools.

Event details

Date: Sunday, 16 November 2025
Start time: 09:00
Meeting point: Las Negras roundabout

The cleanup will focus on the village entrance, the beach area and the dry riverbed. All tools and materials — including gloves and bags — will be provided by the organisers. Residents and visitors interested in joining can contact the coordination team at +39 320 063 8535.

Environmental context

The initiative comes after a summer in which the Níjar Town Hall removed more than seven tons of waste from popular beaches such as Agua Amarga and San José. During the high season, the Natural Park faces intense visitor pressure: nearly 50,000 vehicles passed through the controlled access points to Mónsul, Barronal and Genoveses between June and September.

Local authorities highlight that community-led activities like this one help mitigate seasonal impact while strengthening environmental stewardship throughout the year.

For more updates from across the province, visit our Community category.

Published October 30, 2025 | Category: News

TL;DR: A 4.2-magnitude quake rattled western Almeria overnight but caused no damage — experts say it’s part of the region’s normal seismic rhythm.

Table of Contents

• 4.2-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Almeria
• Overnight Aftershocks Across the Coast
• What Causes Earthquakes in Almeria
• A Seismic History That Runs Deep
• How Strong Was It? Understanding Intensity Levels
• Staying Safe: Preparedness and Advice
• Conclusion

4.2-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Almeria

At 10:38 p.m. on October 29, 2025, residents across western Almeria felt a sudden jolt as a 4.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast. The epicentre was located in the North Alboran Sea, just south of El Ejido and near Balerma, at a shallow depth of about two kilometres.

The National Geographic Institute (IGN) recorded the tremor with an intensity between III and IV on the European Macroseismic Scale. The shaking was noticeable indoors but caused no structural damage. Authorities quickly confirmed there were no injuries or disruptions across the province.

Overnight Aftershocks Across the Coast

Throughout the night, the earth continued to move beneath Almeria’s coastline. Five smaller aftershocks were recorded between 11:08 p.m. and 6:12 a.m. Thursday morning, ranging from magnitudes 1.6 to 2.5. All originated near Balanegra and El Ejido, consistent with a normal pattern of stress release after a moderate quake.

This activity follows the stronger July 14, 2025 earthquake (magnitude 5.4) near Níjar — part of a recurring seismic cycle in southern Spain that experts say is normal for the area.

What Causes Earthquakes in Almeria

Almeria sits on one of Europe’s most dynamic geological borders — the boundary between the African and Eurasian plates. As the African Plate pushes slowly northward, it compresses and fractures the crust beneath the Alboran Sea. The Carboneras Fault, which runs offshore between Níjar and Vera, is one of the most active fault lines in the region.

Scientists from the CSIC and IGN note that most earthquakes here are minor, though they serve as a reminder that Almeria is built on a living, shifting landscape. “It’s a naturally active zone,” explains one IGN technician. “The ground occasionally trembles — that’s how the Earth releases tension.”

A Seismic History That Runs Deep

Earthquakes are nothing new to Almeria. The city was nearly destroyed in 1522 by one of the most powerful earthquakes in Spanish history, which led to the reconstruction of its fortified cathedral. Another devastating event struck in 1804 around Dalías and Berja, killing hundreds and reshaping the region’s architecture.

Even towns like Vera and Huércal-Overa have felt their share of tremors through the centuries. Modern construction standards, however, now make significant damage from moderate quakes extremely unlikely.

How Strong Was It? Understanding Intensity Levels

The IGN uses the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98) to describe how earthquakes are felt by people rather than instruments:

• Intensity IV – Felt indoors by many people; objects move slightly; minimal vibration.
• Intensity III – Felt by a few indoors; hanging objects swing lightly.
• Intensity II – Barely perceptible, usually noticed only at rest.

Wednesday night’s Almeria earthquake registered between levels II and IV depending on location — enough to surprise residents, but not strong enough to cause harm.

Staying Safe: Preparedness and Advice

Experts recommend staying calm during tremors and following three key steps:

• Drop to your hands and knees to prevent falling.
• Cover your head and neck under sturdy furniture or next to an interior wall.
• Hold On until the shaking stops.

After the quake, check for hazards and avoid elevators.
Residents can follow updates and report experiences directly to the National Geographic Institute (IGN), which monitors seismic activity in real time.

Natural forces

The October 29, 2025 Almeria earthquake was another reminder of the natural forces shaping southern Spain. While the ground may tremble now and then, Almeria’s spirit — like its landscape — remains strong and unshaken.

For more local updates, explore our News and Nature & Environment sections.

For more updates from across the province, visit our Nature & Environment category.

Published October 19, 2025 | Category: Nature & Environment

TL;DR: Spain has designated a vast 6,277 km² marine protected area off Almeria’s coast. The new “Banks and Gorges of the Alboran Sea” reinforces Natura 2000, safeguards deep-sea coral gardens and seven cetacean species, and pushes Spain toward its 30%-by-2030 ocean-protection goal.

Alboran Sea Marine Protected Area: Spain Expands Ocean Conservation off the Almeria Coast

Where Exactly Is the Alboran Sea?

The Alboran Sea is the westernmost basin of the Mediterranean, stretching between southern Spain and North Africa immediately east of the Strait of Gibraltar. Off Almeria’s coastline, Atlantic inflows meet warmer, saltier Mediterranean waters, creating a dynamic oceanographic “mixing zone” that fuels rich marine life. The newly designated protected site—formally named the Bancos y Cañones del mar de Alborán (Banks and Gorges of the Alboran Sea)—covers 6,277 km² of offshore habitat in this basin. The official order was published in Spain’s Official State Gazette on 7 October 2025.

What’s Protected: Seamounts, Canyons & Cold-Water Corals

At the heart of the designation are submarine mountains, ridges and canyons that rise sharply from the seafloor. These structures create upwellings that bring nutrients toward the surface—hotspots where food webs concentrate. Extensive surveys by Spain’s oceanographic research network describe deep, cold-water coral communities—Lophelia pertusa, Madrepora oculata—and benthic gardens of gorgonians, sponges and deep-sea mollusks thriving on these hard substrates. In plain language: they’re underwater oases, rare and fragile.

Geologically, the Alboran basin is complex and tectonically active. The interaction between seafloor topography and currents helps maintain cooler, oxygen-richer micro-habitats in a warming Mediterranean—one reason scientists pushed for protection here for more than two decades. Spain’s formal listing recognizes these ecological values within the EU Natura 2000 framework, which protects habitats and species of community interest.

Who Lives Here: Whales, Dolphins, Turtles & Seabirds

The new MPA serves as a feeding and migration corridor for at least seven cetacean species: bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus), common (Delphinus delphis), and striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba); Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus); short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas); fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus); and Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris). Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) also traverse this “Alboran corridor,” and pelagic birds use the area as a foraging ground.

Researchers note a spatial pattern: coastal-loving dolphins tend to cluster near shallower seamounts and around Alboran Island, while beaked and pilot whales track deeper isobaths near the 1,000-metre line—exactly the kind of topography safeguarded by the designation. Protecting such gradients is key to conserving the full cast of marine megafauna that make Almeria’s offshore waters unusually vibrant.

Why This Area Matters: Atlantic–Mediterranean Mixing

The Alboran Sea is where Atlantic inflows pulse into the Mediterranean as distinct jets and eddies. These flows—modulated by seafloor ridges and canyons—enhance nutrient availability and primary productivity, which scale up to fish, turtles and whales. In other words, the physics of the place is the biology. Spain’s marine strategy explicitly prioritizes such oceanographic “engines” as anchors of its protected-area network.

There’s a regional storyline here too. Almeria’s coast and ports sit at the doorstep of this offshore engine. From university labs to local tour operators, the mixing of waters offshore ties directly to life onshore—through fisheries, ecotourism and even climate moderation along the coast.

The Legal Backbone: BOE Order, Natura 2000 & INTEMARES

Legally, the Alboran MPA enters Spain’s Natura 2000 network as a Site of Community Importance (SCI) on the road to Special Area of Conservation status. The BOE order of 7 October 2025 details its boundaries, scientific justification and governance triggers. Once the European Commission validates the listing, Spain has up to six years to adopt a site-specific management plan.

The designation dovetails with LIFE INTEMARES, Spain’s EU-funded flagship to reach 30% marine protection by 2030. INTEMARES coordinates science, governance and capacity building nationwide—driven by Fundación Biodiversidad under the Ministry for Ecological Transition (MITECO). Spain’s latest steps added over 17,000 km² of marine protection across five new offshore sites, with the Alboran Banks & Gorges as a lead piece in the western Mediterranean.

What Changes Now: Management Plans & Precaution

Designation is stage one. Next comes a management plan defining conservation objectives, seasonal restrictions, and zoning (no-take cores, research corridors, sustainable-use buffers). Spain typically applies precautionary measures while these plans are drafted: tighter controls on bottom-contact fishing gear over sensitive substrates; limits on underwater noise; and vessel-speed advisories in cetacean zones. The plan will be prepared by national and regional authorities with fishers, scientists and NGOs, using INTEMARES protocols and EU Directives as guardrails.

On the science side, monitoring will rely on IEO-CSIC vessels, passive acoustic arrays, seabed mapping and ROV surveys to check coral health and fishing impacts. Spain’s June 2025 policy note underscores the link between new MPAs and funded monitoring & enforcement—a critical ingredient for turning lines on a map into real conservation gains.

Almeria’s Link: Research, Ports & Responsible Tourism

For Almeria, this is both ocean and identity. Offshore protection feeds back to coastal life through more resilient fisheries, cleaner beaches and a stronger nature brand. It also gives local universities, research centres and coastal operators a clear framework for blue-economy development grounded in conservation.

• Research & Education. The University of Almeria and national institutes can leverage the MPA as a living lab—tracking whales and turtles, testing noise-reduction corridors, and studying how canyon upwellings affect productivity.
• Ports & Circularity. The province is already piloting circular projects linking the sea and low-carbon fuel. See our feature: Plastic to Biodiesel in Almeria.
• Responsible Marine Tourism. Dolphin- and whale-watching trips out of the Port of Almeria can incorporate citizen science and certified codes of conduct, transforming excursions into conservation experiences.

Threats & Challenges: From Trawling to Warming Seas

Cold-water corals are stunningly slow to grow; once damaged by bottom trawls or dumped gear, recovery can take decades to centuries. Beaked whales are highly sensitive to noise; turtles face bycatch risk; and the whole basin is warming and acidifying, altering carbonate chemistry that corals depend on. Effective management must therefore combine gear restrictions, noise mitigation, bycatch reduction and climate resilience—and fund them long-term. Spain’s 2025 agenda emphasizes new protected coverage paired with better tools for surveillance and stakeholder compliance.

Enforcement matters. If trawl tracks, illegal dumping or noisy transits persist over key habitats, the MPA risks becoming a paper park. INTEMARES gives Spain a platform and budget to step up monitoring and co-design solutions with the very communities that depend on the sea.

How to Visit Responsibly

Want to experience Almeria’s deep-blue frontier without leaving a footprint? A few simple choices go a long way:

• Choose accredited operators that follow distance, speed and noise guidelines for whales and dolphins.
• Pack out plastics—and pick up stray litter on beaches; the less that reaches the sea, the better for turtles and corals.
• Keep it quiet on the water: steady speeds, no sudden accelerations, and avoid chasing wildlife.
• Support citizen science: log sightings with the crew; these data help scientists map hotspots.

Fast Facts & Timeline

• Official name: Bancos y Cañones del mar de Alborán (Banks & Gorges of the Alboran Sea)
• Size: 6,277 km² offshore habitat in the Alboran basin
• Wildlife: deep-sea corals (Lophelia, Madrepora), gorgonians, sponges; cetaceans including fin and beaked whales; loggerhead turtles
• Programmes: Natura 2000 (EU Habitats/Birds Directives); LIFE INTEMARES; Spain target ≈ 30% by 2030
• Next steps: EC validation; management plan within six years; precautionary measures in force meanwhile

Final Notes

The Alboran Sea has always been Almeria’s quiet neighbor—vast, blue and mostly out of sight. This new marine protected area brings it into focus. It recognizes an ocean engine where geology stirs currents, currents feed life, and life—in all its whale-and-coral strangeness—anchors a coastal identity. For Spain, it’s a strategic step toward a connected network of well-managed MPAs. For Almeria, it’s an invitation to tell a bigger story: sustainability here doesn’t stop at the shoreline—it reaches deep beneath the surface.

For official background and ongoing updates, see Spain’s MITECO brief, the BOE Order (7 Oct 2025), the LIFE INTEMARES programme via Fundación Biodiversidad, and the IEO-CSIC for scientific updates.

About the author

KAI is the Sustainability & Regional Development Analyst at VisitingAlmeria.com.
With over 18 years of local insight into Almeria’s evolving economy and environment, KAI explores how the province is transforming through innovation, renewable energy, and community-driven change.

For more updates from across the province, visit our Nature & Environment category.