Do citizens in Spanish municipalities have the same perception of the solution to depopulation? Influence of population size

Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Depopulated Areas of Mediterranean Europe: A Case Study in Two Inland Provinces of Spain

“…Subsidies or support for public policies using financial and other kinds of resources can function as facilitators of adaptation or as limiters, and therefore play a key role when it comes to effectively reducing the vulnerability of rural areas [15]. However, Alonso-Carrillo et al [23] observed that the policies that have been implemented, such as the CAP, LEADER programs, or the rural policies designed in recent years by the Spanish Government, have not been successful at tackling social and economic deprivation in lagging rural areas. In this sense, the opinions of stakeholders about the policies and the future development of territories that are suffering depopulation can vary according to the size of the town or village in which they live: inhabitants of small towns consider that policies focused on improving infrastructures are the most appropriate for the long-term solution of the depopulation problem, while people from rural municipalities in the heart of depopulated Spain believe that the solution cannot be achieved in the medium term, but they are confident that in the long term a solution will be found [23].…”

“…However, Alonso-Carrillo et al [23] observed that the policies that have been implemented, such as the CAP, LEADER programs, or the rural policies designed in recent years by the Spanish Government, have not been successful at tackling social and economic deprivation in lagging rural areas. In this sense, the opinions of stakeholders about the policies and the future development of territories that are suffering depopulation can vary according to the size of the town or village in which they live: inhabitants of small towns consider that policies focused on improving infrastructures are the most appropriate for the long-term solution of the depopulation problem, while people from rural municipalities in the heart of depopulated Spain believe that the solution cannot be achieved in the medium term, but they are confident that in the long term a solution will be found [23]. Accessibility, facilities, economic conditions, population ageing, natural amenities, and the degree of urbanization are all identified as factors to be considered and monitored in any regional strategy in response to demographic challenges [56].…”

“…This results in poor connections with health, educational, retail and leisure facilities, etc., which gives rise to a sense of isolation, which is worsening as the years go by [22]. This lack of services and poor transport links [23], together with very few employment and leisure options, causes young people to leave these areas in droves, and there is no new generation to take the place of those who retire. This leads to the abandonment of farming, the loss of permanent pastures, the deterioration and disappearance of heritage, the transformation of landscapes, and an increase in fire risk, among other processes [24,25].…”