Tenerife's Year of Contrasts: Environmental Wins, Traffic Woes, and Tragedy
Tenerife's 2025 was marked by a complex interplay of environmental challenges, infrastructure developments, and a tragic rogue wave incident, alongside significant progress in sustainable transport and a major volcano eruption drill.
In 2025, Tenerife faced the ongoing challenge of balancing economic growth, a rising population, and protecting its natural environment. The year saw both progress and setbacks. Major news stories included the reopening of Playa Jardín in June, after being closed for ten months due to sewage contamination, and the legal cancellation of Santa Cruz's traffic rules. There were also efforts to reduce highway traffic, concerns about drought, the start of construction for a new Motor Circuit, and a new management plan for Teide National Park. Overall, sustainability was a key theme in many of the year's headlines.
The year 2025 ended on a positive note with more rain in autumn and early winter than in previous years, leading the local council (Cabildo) to consider lifting the water emergency. Teide also saw its heaviest snowfall in a decade. This brought another positive development: the success of shuttle buses during the 'snow operation'. Thousands of visitors used public transport instead of their cars, preventing the usual traffic chaos and protecting Tenerife's natural gem.
However, the year also saw a tragic event linked to natural forces. On Sunday, December 7, four tourists died at the Isla Cangrejo natural pool in Santiago del Teide after being hit by a rogue wave. This happened despite an alert being in place and the area being cordoned off with fences, which visitors had ignored.
The Santa Cruz City Council also faced a sustainability-related challenge concerning traffic and transport. In March, the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands cancelled the city's Mobility and Road Safety Ordinance. This legal decision forced the City Council to remove bike lanes from downtown streets in November.
The Cabildo shares a similar challenge with Santa Cruz City Council, but on a larger scale: persistent traffic jams on the island's main highways, particularly in the north and south. Some sections of the Northern Highway (TF-5) are among the most congested in Spain, handling an average of 110,000 vehicles daily, comparable to busy roads like Madrid's M-40. To tackle these queues, several projects have progressed, including plans for a third lane on the TF-5, a new terminal for the Port of Los Cristianos, the first agreement with the government to fund a southern train, and improved, staggered access to the University of La Laguna.
Finally, 2025 marked the year of Tenerife's first major volcano eruption drill, held in Garachico on September 27. While the island has experienced ongoing tremors, scientists have stated there is no immediate risk of an eruption.