Climate change in Spain: Desertification

Environment

17.01.2009

Dossier index

Copenhagen 2009

Political will... or won´t
Carbon conscience
- Europe's satellite leads climate change study
Copenhagen atmosphere - the Euranet blog
Warming up?
- Climate change in Spain: Desertification
- The Consequences of Climate Change - the 2007 UN Report on Global Warming
- Climate change in the Netherlands: Flood protection
- Climate change in Cyprus: Battling drought
- Climate change in Slovenia: Rising snow lines

Spain has more to fear than most from climate change. Desertification is threatening the centre of the country. However, the coasts will not be spared – in particular, due to over-exploitation from tourism.

Images

Drought, desertification, fires and the retreat of its beaches, Spain is one of the countries in Europe most under threat from the effects of climate change. In the offices of Greenpeace in Madrid, the precise consequences for nature and the environment are being taken very seriously. For the environmental organization, climate change is the greatest ecological threat confronting Spain.

“The increase in temperature will be more important in Spain than it will be on a global scale,” states Sarah Pidinatto, a Greenpeace officer in the Spanish capital. “It will have several serious consequences. First of all, the change in temperature will affect lifestyles in Andalusia, Murcia and Valencia. The number of days when temperatures will exceed 40° will increase, which will cause numerous health problems. Agriculture will also be affected, and temperatures in the sea will increase. The other consequence is the 20% reduction in precipitation in the southern part of Europe and the Mediterranean region. This will affect all of Spain, and in particular Valencia, Murcia and the west of Andalusia.”

The Spanish coast is often synonymous with holidays in the sun on fine sandy beaches. However, exploitation from tourism is putting great pressure on the coastal region. A report by the Ministry for the Environment predicts that Spanish beaches will retreat by 15 meters by 2050. Costa Brava, La Manga del Mar Menor and the coast of Valencia will be at particular risk.

Water tribunal

Every Thursday at noon, the Water Tribunal meets in the square in front of Valencia’s cathedral. It has been regulating disputes between farmers for more than a thousand years. Its job is to settle conflicts relating to water in a region that serves as an orchard for the whole of Spain. On the stroke of twelve, a judicial official appears in front of the cathedral. He is equipped with a cane with a gilt hook. He is also followed by eight men dressed in long black gowns. These are the members of the tribunal, which was created in the 10th century. All around, farmers, interested parties and tourists gather to witness the event.

“The Water Tribunal is a meeting place where all those people who commit crimes related to irrigation are judged”, one farmer explains. “The reason why this tribunal exists, is to ensure the sensible utilization of the waters of the river Tuira. Global warming certainly poses a problem in terms of water. There is a shortage…the government doesn’t want to draw off water from the river for us. However, we are suffering from a severe drought in the Valencia region. It is true that we do get some relief, thanks to the water purification plants. But we obtain very little from the river. Moreover, the river has to supply Valencia. Valencia is therefore given priority, so that there is enough water in town.”

Spain consumes lots of water. In the Valencia region, agriculture, tourism and urbanization are claiming more and more water resources. To meet these needs, the previous government under José Maria Aznar proposed a technical solution. They suggested diverting some water from the Ebro to the south of the country. This project provoked strong opposition, and the Socialist government under José Lui Zapatero was forced to shelve the project.

The worst climatic scenario

Professor Millan has been studying the effects of the climate on the Mediterranean region for more than thirty years. He is the founder and director of CEAM, the Mediterranean Centre for Environmental Studies, located in Valencia. He believes that the debate on global warming has the wrong target in mind.

“Most people believe in the greenhouse effect. But the reports of the IPCC never mention the serious, immediate problems we are facing today. This is the result of political filters. The Mediterranean is already suffering from the worst-case scenarios that were conceived of fifty years ago. In fact, you can see it now…The Mediterranean is losing its storms due to the overexploitation of its ground. The water cycle has been disturbed, the evaporation of water is accelerating and the sea is getting warmer, which causes more torrential rain in autumn. After five to ten days, the water that has evaporated spreads further and further. This causes big storms in central and Eastern Europe. The balance between evaporation and precipitation is changing. Water containing more salt is spreading from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. This is changing its composition. This in turn is affecting France, Great Britain and Holland. Germany is even seeing tornadoes. This is happening now…Moreover, there are long-term effects and climate change. The climatic effects caused by how the earth is being used are having a quicker impact than the effect of greenhouse gases on the climate. These gases are killers, but their consequences will be even more harmful, due to the initial effects on the climate.”