02 Jan La Palma Reconstruction – November 2025
La Palma’s Reconstruction: November 2025 Update
News roundup from across La Palma regarding science occurring in La Palma, reconstruction efforts, aid provided to residents and industries, and other relevant news. Links to source articles are hyperlinked in taglines for each article.
Sources for all reconstruction updates: La Palma Ahora, Cabildo de La Palma, El Time, ABC España, El Valle de Aridane, El Dia, Mirame, Planeta Canario, Canarias 7, El Diario, National Geographic, El Pais, El Apurón, Diario La Palma
GeoTenerife updates
- GeoTenerife presents latest projects in La Palma – At the International Tajogaite Eruption Conference, GeoTenerife presented three projects relating to the recovery of La Palma following the 2021 eruption on La Palma. These three projects were assessing the lava flow field impacts, with lessons learnt that could be applied to Auckland in New Zealand; Communication gaps during the response to the eruption and reconstruction; and the open-access design framework for GeoTenerife’s VolcanoStories project.
- GeoTenerife to support ‘disaster learning community’ – La Palma Mental Health and the La Palma Opina forum have created the first ‘Disaster Learning Community’ in the Canary Islands, which GeoTenerife will contribute to. This involves consulting those affected by the 2021 eruption on measures relating to the emergency and care for affected people could be improved.
Reconstruction
- 32% of people living ‘in squalor’ on La Palma were affected by the volcano – The Cabildo de La Palma has revealed that there are 300 people ‘in squalor’ on La Palma, and 32% of these people were affected by the volcano.
- Access to 40 new plots of land – Los Llanos de Aridane City Council is providing access to 40 plots of land cut-off by the lava flows by paving the Aniceto road across the lava flows.
- Economic outlook for La Palma – The Federation of Businesses in La Palma (FEDEPALMA) has given their economic assessment for the third quarter of 2025. The economic recovery still continues, although economic activity is still influenced by the impact of the pandemic and 2021 volcanic eruption.
- Rodríguez statement on Spanish Government contributions – Sergio Rodríguez, President of the Cabildo de La Palma, has stated that the Spanish Government continues to not meet his obligations to La Palma’s reconstruction. Outstanding items, in the government’s views, relate to annual payments of €100 million for 2024 and 2025, and additional contributions towards infrastructure recovery.
- Island protocol for post-disaster reconstruction – The PSOE party presented a motion at the Cabildo de La Palma for the creation of an Island Protocol for Post-Disaster Reconstruction, which was rejected via a vote. The motivation was for this protocol to complement the tasks of the volcano-law at an island level. In response, the Island President defended its commitment to the reconstruction.
Aid
- Aid for farmers – The association of those affected by the volcano has thanked the government for the decree allocating €100 million to farmers affected by the volcano to compensate losses and help them rebuild.
- Income tax reduction demands – The association of those affected by the volcano has argued that the 60% income tax reduction for the entire population should be increased to 100% for those affected by the volcano whose properties are were destroyed.
- Demands for payment of aid to banana farmers – Demands have been made that the Cabildo de La Palma pay 6.5 million in aid owed to banana farmers. The list of beneficiaries of this aid has been released, so councilors argue there are no remaining reasons to delay the aid.
Farmers affected by the volcano are demanding that Pedro Sánchez “keep his word to La Palma” and approve the decree law now so they can rebuild their banana plantations. El Time (2025)
Science
- International Tajogaite Eruption Conference – The International Tajogaite Eruption Conference, held in El Paso, brought together hundreds of volcanologists and disaster management to present research and participate in workshops relating to the 2021 Tajogaite eruption.
- New biodiversity recovery study – A new CSIC study on biodiversity recovery on La Palma has shown that vegetation and wildlife are recovering well around the affected area, especially greater than 2.5 km away from the crater. Recovery of the area closest to the cone is estimated to take many decades.
- ISvolcan follow-up study begins – The follow-up to the ISvolcan study, investigating the health impacts of the 2021 eruption, has begun. In the next phase, among other things, participants will be monitored considering their exposures both during and after the eruption, and blood samples and other examinations will be taken from participants again in 2026.
Other updates
- Tierra Bonita claim lack of citizen engagement during the Tajogaite conference – The Tierra Bonita Association, whilst celebrating the Tajogaite Conference, also expresses their disappointment that, in their view, the public administrations and scientific institutions have not reflected on the decisions which worsened the eruption response and subsequent recovery. They also wished for more contributions to the conference focused on affected citizens, rather than simply physical scientific research.
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