No Place Can Escape: Climate Change Comes to the Canary Islands

Living through times of rollercoaster weather off the west coast of Morocco

Tenerife aerial image — largest of the Canary Islands. Mount Teide volcano (in the distance)

I live in , one of the smaller islands. This volcanic archipelago belongs to Spain but is situated off the coast of Morocco. Each island has a . They are all different ages, from Fuerteventura at around 30 million years old, to El Hierro at just over one million years, with a new island we’ve named Tagoro emerging just off its coast. Volcanic islands are like living things.

For decades now, the Canary Islands have been a popular holiday choice for people from Northern Europe; our main selling point in this competitive field is our year-round springlike weather. It was reliable and lived up to this reputation. Climate change could be disastrous for us in many ways.

We have spectacular scenery, including (and 7,500 meters from its base under the sea to its summit), the highest point in Spain, and the third-largest volcano in the world. I can see it from my house:

But it’s sunny down at the beach. (Photo by the author from the path outside their house, winter 2023)