Strengthening local climate action across Spain: highlights from the Spanish Covenant National Event 2026

On 12 and 13 May, the EU Covenant of Mayors, together with the General Directorate of Energy and Climate Change of the Galicia Region in Spain, organised the Spanish Covenant National Event 2026 in Santiago de Compostela (Galicia). 

The event was opened by Ms Ángeles Vázquez Mejuto, Regional Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, and featured Bruno Mola, responsible for the EU Covenant of Mayors in DG Clima.   

Bringing together local climate actors across Spain

The event gathered over 150 participants, who received updates on the progress of the EU Covenant initiative at the European, national and regional level, including its development in Galicia. 

Participants also learned more about the Galician Climate Alliance (Alianza Galega polo Clima), a regional initiative launched by the Xunta de Galicia that brings together public administrations, companies, professional associations, trade unions, and NGOs to strengthen climate action across the region. Several institutions of the Galician Climate Alliance were present with information stands, exchanging with participants on their climate and energy activities, projects and solutions.

From energy poverty to climate adaptation: sharing local solutions

The programme featured three thematic round tables focused on key climate and energy challenges faced by municipalities. 

The first session addressed energy poverty, presenting both the national context in Spain and local responses developed by municipalities. Discussions highlighted initiatives such as energy communities in Getafe and district heating solutions supporting vulnerable households. 

A second round table focused on climate adaptation, adopting a similar approach. Starting from an overview of climate risks in Spain presented by Tecnalia, the discussion moved to concrete local experiences, including the recognition of heatwaves by the University of Vigo, climate refuges developed by the City of Mos, and the renaturation of natural areas in Castrelo de Miño.

The final session focused on flood prevention and preparedness, including prevention policies presented by the Public Galician Water Company, civil protection plans coordinated by Galician Civil Protection, and local activities implemented by the city of Peralta.

At the end of the conference, Territorial Coordinators of the Covenant in Spain met with representatives of the Spanish Ministry for Adaptation and Mitigation to analyse the current state of the initiative and discuss future steps to strengthen institutional coordination at regional and national level.

Galicia: a leading regional coordinator in Spain

Galicia is one of the most successful Covenant Regional Coordinators in Spain, having involved 287 municipalities in the initiative.  Over the years, the region has played a key role in supporting local authorities in the development of Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs), while also promoting stronger coordination between regional and local levels.

The region has also placed strong emphasis on citizen involvement and cooperation between regional and local authorities, recognising municipalities as key actors in achieving climate neutrality. Through technical support, training and initiatives such as the Galician Climate Alliance, Galicia continues to build a common framework for climate action across the territory.

Want to learn more about Galicia’s approach and how the region scaled up local climate action? Read our article featuring María Sagrario Pérez Castellanos.