- Led by the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, driven by fundación Moeve and developed in collaboration with Fundación Metrópoli, the project lays out a strategic roadmap for a sustainable, innovative and people-centered transformation of Tenerife's capital city
The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Project, led by the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, driven by fundación Moeve and developed in collaboration with Fundación Metrópoli, was recently presented at the Greencities conference in Málaga, one of Spain’s leading forums on smart, sustainable cities. The project sets out a vision for the future of Tenerife's capital city, built around a shared vision and 14 strategic initiatives aimed at improving sustainability, innovation and quality of life for residents.
The proposal was presented during the panel “Redesigning cities for sustainability: Insights from Santa Cruz de Tenerife,” which explored the challenges and opportunities cities face in generating prosperity, improving quality of life, and attracting talent and investment without sacrificing their identity.
The panel, moderated by Paula Ruiz, Ecological Transition Projects Manager at fundación Moeve, brought together Carlos Tarife, Councilor for Environmental Sustainability and Public Services at the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council; Alfonso Vegara, President of Fundación Metrópoli and an internationally recognized authority on urban planning; and Juan Carlos de la Torre, Director General for European Union Fund Management at the Málaga City Council.
The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Project is the result of a strategic analysis and reflection process that made it possible to identify, weigh, and prioritize transformative proposals for the Santa Cruz of the future, combining technical analysis, citizen input gathered through a phased participation process, and open debate among the territory’s various stakeholders. As a result, 14 projects have been defined with the potential to drive the city's transformation in areas such as mobility, innovation, urban regeneration, environmental sustainability, housing, and its relationship with the sea, among others.
A unique opportunity to put Tenerife on the international map
During the session, Carlos Tarife emphasized the importance of having a shared vision to guide the city's future development and of seizing a historic opportunity to move toward a more sustainable, innovative model that is more closely connected to its surroundings.
One of the panel’s key messages was the potential the project identified for strengthening Santa Cruz de Tenerife's position as a strategic hub connecting Europe, Africa and the Atlantic.
As Alfonso Vegara explained, the cities with the greatest capacity for transformation are those that recognize their distinctive strengths and develop projects capable of turning them into competitive advantages. In this regard, he noted that the proposal developed for Santa Cruz highlights its relationship with the sea, its integration with the island as a whole, its geostrategic position, and its ability to attract innovation and talent. Initiatives related to mobility, connections to the waterfront, cultural activity, and environmental sustainability could all help position the city as an international benchmark for urban innovation and quality of life.
From vision to execution
The panel also addressed the conditions needed to turn a shared vision into transformative projects. Drawing on Málaga’s experience, Juan Carlos de la Torre underscored the importance of a solid strategy that can later be translated into concrete projects aligned with residents’ real priorities. He also noted that trust, continuity, and execution capacity are essential factors in attracting financing, private investment, and talent, particularly when it comes to European funds.
The panel argued that the success of urban transformations depends on a combination of leadership, execution capacity, and collaboration among government, business, and residents. These are essential elements for turning a strategy into a tangible, lasting reality.
The presentation at Greencities provided an opportunity to share the results of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Project and to highlight this roadmap’s potential to drive a more sustainable, innovative, and people-centered urban model in Tenerife's capital city.
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