On 20 and 23 February 2026, the first online stakeholder meetings of the Spanish use case were organised by the UPCT team and focused on the Cartagena–La Unión Mining District, a historical mining area severely affected by legacy soil contamination. The online events brought together 11 participants from a diverse range of organisations, including public administration bodies, research institutions, scientific societies, and environmental companies.

The main objective of the meetings was to introduce the SOILPROM project and the Spanish case study, present the scientific and technical approach adopted, and actively engage stakeholders in identifying local priorities, challenges, and expectations related to soil pollution assessment and management.

Meeting highlights

The meetings were structured into several thematic blocks, including:

  • An overview of the SOILPROM project, its objectives, and its contribution to improving soil pollution assessment and management at the European level.
  • A detailed presentation of the Spanish use case, describing the environmental setting of the Cartagena–La Unión Mining District, the main contamination processes, and the relevance of the area as a representative Mediterranean mining landscape.
  • An outline of the methodological framework, including sampling strategies, assessment of soil physicochemical properties, and the application of modelling tools to evaluate contaminant behavior and environmental risks.
  • An interactive discussion with stakeholders, during which participants shared their perspectives on key soil threats, management constraints, data gaps, and opportunities for remediation and sustainable land use.

The meetings fostered an open dialogue and laid the foundations for continuous stakeholder engagement throughout the project, ensuring that local knowledge and management needs are effectively integrated into the development of SOILPROM outputs.

Next steps

Based on the discussions, several priorities were identified:

  • Strengthening the link between scientific results and soil management practices.
  • Continuing stakeholder involvement through follow-up meetings and targeted workshops.
  • Ensuring that project outcomes are relevant, applicable, and aligned with regional and national regulatory needs and restoration plans. To highlight discussions with technical experts from the company responsible for implementing the Spanish government’s restoration plans in the mining area where SOILPROM is being implemented.

These first stakeholder meetings mark an important milestone in the implementation of the SOILPROM project in Spain and reinforce the project’s commitment to stakeholder-driven, science-based approaches to soil pollution assessment and management.