Severe drought in Spain leads to ‘heat islands’ in the cities

Spain is facing its worst drought ever. The government provided more than two billion euros.

This article is available on IPPEN.MEDIA as part of a collaboration with Climate.Table Professional Briefing It was first published by Climate.Table on May 25, 2023.

MADRID/BERLIN – Spain is experiencing a devastating drought. According to the state meteorological agency (AEMET), April 2023 was the hottest April and the rainiest in Spain since records began in 1961. “In the first four months of the year, only 112 liters per square meter fell, and 250 liters are It rained less than half the normal amount.

Water tank in April: 39% occupancy instead of 69%

Water reservoirs for human consumption and agriculture are only 39 percent full. The average for the past 10 years was 69 percent. The reason is not only the current drought, but also a dry year in 2022. Water reserves in reservoirs used for power generation have also shrunk. It is only filled to 66.6 percent of its capacity, which is also well below average values ​​for the past ten years (78.1 percent).

In response, Pedro Sanchez’s government approved a €2.19 billion aid package on May 11. The announcement of the aid payments came during the regional election campaign on May 28. They are designed to absorb the worst effects of dehydration. But the opposition and one of Sanchez’s coalition partners sensed electoral maneuvering. For example, the conservative Partido People’s Party criticized the package of measures as “electoral hype” and “five years” too late (die The opposition emerged from the elections with a clear victory, male. red.).

The Spanish government is putting together an aid package of 2.2 billion

Sanchez’s aid package includes the following:

• 636 million euros in direct aid to agriculture and livestock aims to replace the 300 million euros lost in the agricultural sector due to drought.
• €1.4 billion has been allocated to improve water infrastructure and use. New desalination plants will be built and municipal water will be used more frequently. Water charges for farms affected by irrigation restrictions will also be reduced. These funds are provided by the Ministry of Environmental Transition.
• According to the Ministry of Ecological Transition, 26.9 percent of the territory is in a stressed situation due to lack of water: 14 percent of Spain is in a state of emergency, 12.9 percent is on alert. The regions of Catalonia, southern Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha and the Guadalquivir basin in Andalusia are particularly affected.

Spain also imposed a ban on some outdoor professions when the country’s meteorological agency issued a heat warning.

Particularly threatened by climate change: Spanish cities

Spain has been particularly affected by climate change. The Mediterranean Sea is warming 20% ​​faster than the global average. With current developments, the temperature in the Iberian Peninsula is expected to increase by an average of 2.2 degrees by 2040. In major cities, the effects will be exacerbated by the phenomenon known as the “heat island”, says AEMET spokesperson del Campo. “As a result, temperatures are higher in urban areas than in neighboring rural areas,” explains del Campo. The reason: street asphalt prevents cooling by evaporation, building materials such as concrete radiate heat at night.

“As a result of the warming of the Mediterranean in recent decades, the very hot summer nights on the Mediterranean coasts have increased significantly. On the other hand, the area of ​​dry areas is increasing in Spain, especially near previously dry areas. This Particularly noticeable in the region of Murcia, in Castilla-La Mancha, in Extremadura and in the Ebro Valley, ”continues del Campo.

Climate plan: 30% reduction in emissions

The National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), presented by the government of Pedro Sánchez in 2021, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 23% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The biennial review of the Palestinian National Pricing Initiative, which aims to strengthen This goal is currently underway. According to a Reuters report, the target is to increase seven percentage points to 30 percent. The draft will be sent to the EU Commission in June and is due for approval in June 2024, a spokesperson for the Ministry for Ecological Transition told Table.Media.

A previous PNIEC report states that by 2030, 42 percent of all energy in Spain will come from renewable sources. 74 percent of energy generation must be renewable. Despite the drought, renewables accounted for 22% of energy and 42% of electricity in 2022. It is expected that by 2023, more than 50 percent of electricity needs will be met through renewable energy,” according to the Ministry of Green Transition.

Fourth place in the European climatic ranking

in the independent climate scorecard The Country Rankings 2021, which assesses climate policy planning in various countries, Spain ranks fourth among EU countries after Germany, the United Kingdom and France. The criteria relate to whether a country has committed to reducing emissions by 50 percent by 2023 or at the latest by 2030 and whether it aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In terms of per capita emissions (2021 values), Spain is 4.9 tons, which is well below the German value (8.1 tons) and also below the EU average of 6.1 tons.

The rating gives Spain a positive rating mainly due to its strength in solar and wind energy. Spain also wants to reduce its car emissions by 39% by 2030. The previous PNIEC aimed to introduce five million electric vehicles (including motorcycles, vans and buses) by 2030. (Written by Isabel Cuesta Camacho)