The Air Quality Plan for the Metropolitan Area of Granada, currently undergoing administrative processing, will incorporate a total of 76 measures to enhance the environmental health of the province. The Secretary General for Environment and Climate Change of the Junta de Andalucía, María López, presented the main lines of this plan during the 'GranAire' forum held at the Science Park of Granada.
This plan, affecting 22 municipalities and 54% of Granada's population, focuses on three main pillars: reducing the impact of traffic, which is the primary source of emissions; controlling industrial and agricultural emissions; and decreasing particulate matter from biomass combustion, particularly in domestic and community heating systems.
María López emphasized the importance of modernizing heating systems and promoting energy efficiency in building renovations, describing them as "two key areas for reducing emissions during the winter months, when Granada experiences its worst pollution episodes."
Furthermore, the installation of the first high-capacity air quality monitoring station was announced for Granada. This 'supersite', funded by ERDF funds and located at the Fuentenueva Campus of the University of Granada, will enable the quantification of pollutants such as ultrafine particles (PM1) and the analysis of heavy metal deposition in suspended particles, elements not registered by conventional monitoring stations.
This 'super site', the first in Andalusia and one of the pioneers nationally, will involve an investment of 1.2 million euros and will be managed in collaboration with the Inter-university Institute for Research of the Earth System in Andalusia (Iista). The equipment will be custom-made as similar commercial models do not exist.
The Junta de Andalucía has also allocated 9.6 million euros from ERDF funds, along with another ten million currently in execution, for the upgrade of over 100 stations in the Andalusian air quality monitoring network. This network provides real-time information through public display panels and mobile applications.
In terms of regulations, the update of the air quality decree was highlighted, along with the approval of decrees on acoustics and lighting. The Law for Environmental Management of Andalusia includes a new chapter on air quality aligned with national and European regulations, setting compliance milestones for 2030.
The Andalusian Air Quality Strategy (EACA) sets the regional planning framework, paving the way for the development of specific plans like the one for the Metropolitan Area of Granada. The forum included participation from the deputy mayor of the City Council of Granada, Jorge Saavedra, and the Councilor for Sustainability, Ana Agudo, among other representatives.
In terms of circular economy, the Junta de Andalucía has mobilized nearly four million euros in subsidies for Granada, with a total investment of over 137 million euros in 2025 for circular economy and waste management projects, a 68% increase from the previous year. Actions include clean points, transfer stations, landfill sealing, and the acquisition of biowaste collection trucks.
