Post by European Climate Foundation

In 2022, Spain made history by granting legal personhood to the Mar Menor lagoon. It is the first ecosystem in Europe to receive this status. This legal protection has created new governance bodies to represent the lagoon’s interests.   How did it happen?    It was born from a citizen‑driven legislative initiative led by civil society and academia. However, the new political context opened up by the law made it necessary to rethink how activism was organised. It called for stronger coordination across civil society. Organisations had to find new ways to cooperate and build shared governance, so they could speak with one voice while staying independent. That’s where targeted capacity support mattered. By working with the University of Murcia as a neutral convenor, and by building on and strengthening existing links between the Mar Menor movement and peers around La Albufera in Valencia, ECF enabled local organisations to build trust, shared governance rules, and a collective strategy.   Today, organisations are engaging with institutions with a unified voice, while retaining their individual identities and contributing coherent positions to the lagoon’s governance bodies. ECF has helped broaden civic participation even amongst young people.   The lesson is simple but powerful.    When local governance and civic participation are strengthened, communities can influence land‑use, water and fertiliser practices. Together we can drive resilience, reduce emissions, and accelerate the decarbonisation transition.