The Impossible Rise of Tenerife: From Volcanic Wasteland to a Billion-Dollar Empire

Comments · 26

• CH

  @ChrisDeJuanMusic · 3 weeks ago (edited)

  I am from Tenerife and found this video very accurate, def worth watching the entire 25 minutes! 🙏🏽 A few things though...  although it doesn't often rain (especially in the south) and there are no permanent rivers nor lakes, the trade winds (Vientos Alicios) push the northern Atlantic clouds full off water down towards the archipelago, which get trapped on the north facing mountains of the island and this way replenish the underground aquifers every year (lluvia horizontal/horizontal rain). Also, I'm surprised the documentary didn't mention anything about the massive work that has been done in the last few decades to improve and expand the water treatment and desalination plants that exist on the island, more than 50 of them in Tenerife (and more that 300 in all the Canary Islands) which has contributed a great deal to the water supply in general in the Canary Islands, accounting for aprox between 40-50% of the water supply in the archipelago... I am no expert scientist, but I think there is more water than ever in Tenerife, the Island seems greener and with more trees than what I remember growing up in the south of Tenerife back in the 80´s and 90´s...

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• PA

  @paradizetenerife2698 · 1 month ago

  That’s not quite true. Tenerife may not have permanent rivers, but the Canary pines in Corona Forestal capture moisture from the clouds, known as “horizontal rain.” It filters through the volcanic rock, replenishes the underground aquifers and is collected through water galleries—basically horizontal wells running through the mountains. 🌲💧

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• BA

  @babelbubka · 1 month ago

  wow. respect for this well done documentation, greetings from germany! Now I understand the sticker I have seen when I went to tenerife 1 month ago. THANK U!

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• MY

  @mymixture965 · 2 days ago

  In the winter 2025/26 there was a lot of rain and actually there is no crises. It was the wettest winter in 20 years, I was there, in the north.

• TO

  @tonyduncan9852 · 1 month ago (edited)

  The best video documentary on Tenerife I've seen so far., and Father William has nothing on me.   😎   PS  Love your handle.

• LO

  @LouLou10000 · 1 month ago

  500 pesetas in the 60s was £2.19shillings … so basically modern day £75 . That’s madness

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• PA

  @paddytoplad4040 · 1 month ago

  20% comes from desalination. Tenerife has abundant sunshine to power desalination so water can adapt

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• SA

  @sarahj8231 · 1 month ago

  Interesting video. I remember doing the tour of the island in 75 and visiting the new resort of Las Americas. We were told then that the sand had been imported. We also stayed at the Gran Tinerfe in the mid 80’s. I still go, but still stay in the North. I hated the old airport, it was cramped, cold, foggy and I saw wrecks of two plane crashes including the big one.  Just one thing, your pronunciation is bad. TEIDE and Adeje the worse.  Addechey.

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• JO

  @Joao_133 · 3 weeks ago

  as if puting a tarrif on going up the mountain had any influence on reducing water usage. if any thing, it makes turists stay one or two days more to get a vacancy.

• KA

  @Kanarenpieper · 1 month ago

  there are some darker beaches in Las Americas made from the sand os Tenerife. But the large white beaches, made in late 80s, are all Sahara Sand. I have seen the ships pumping the sand on the coast.

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• JO

  @Joao_133 · 3 weeks ago (edited)

  ban golf, turn swimming pools from sweet to salty water (there is a wonderful one in Porto by the great architect Siza Vieira and it is wonderful) install a desalinator and a fog water collector, import water (someone made a fortune carrying ice on ships around the world, not so infeasable), limit residence and property sale, determine carrying capacity of the island and reduce the fck resorts. Also, although spanish, many of these residents moved from the main land in search of jobs. what do many if these want now? Finally lets not forget that this is a wide spread problem in Spain that over produces in agriculture for trade consuming tomorrow's water. maybe some introspection and reflexive critical thinking is in order for my spanish brothers.

• JO

  @johnjamessommers8147 · 1 month ago

  These Islands and local people are truly beautiful.<br>Prime water source, 100% pure and infinite.<br>Canarias 2030 is what has happened to the beautiful islands. WOK and part of the cabal.<br>The locals are striking against the corporations taking all the resources and nothing stays there. Minimum wages and over priced housing. Second homes for the wealthy Europeans and Plenty of credit . Same old same old. IMPERIALISM - Capitalism

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