In several previous articles, such as the one on "the most critical points of climate change," I have mentioned that Spain is one of the European Union countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. One of the negative effects of long-term global warming is the rise in sea level.
Therefore, this long-term global problem can have very serious consequences for countries and their coastal stability . Why is Spain so vulnerable along its coast?
Global warming effects
One of the problems caused by global warming is the melting of the Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets, with the consequent rise in sea level. Spain's economy is largely based on the service sector (tourism), and its coastlines are densely populated. Therefore, if sea levels rise, numerous problems will arise, such as massive flooding . The cities that could disappear due to global warming are a topic that deserves attention, especially those that may be affected by rising sea levels.
To this phenomenon caused by global warming, we must add the increase in floods which, with a rise in sea level, will be more devastating and cause much more damage.
Spain is vulnerable due to its highly populated coasts
To this day, the 361 million square kilometers that the oceans occupy have played a role in the fight against global warming, as they have been responsible for absorbing up to 90% of the heat produced by humans and a third of the carbon dioxide emitted.
Oceans and seas absorb CO2
This occurs due to the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When there is a lot of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it passes into the water, which acts as a regulator. The problem with this phenomenon is that it generates negative side effects. When there are large amounts of CO2 in the water, it causes acidification and damages marine ecosystems and the habitat of many species. The influence of acidification on marine biodiversity is an increasingly relevant issue and is related to other phenomena such as changes in ocean temperature.
One of the most famous and well-known side effects of CO2 absorption by the oceans is coral bleaching, which can lead to the death of coral reefs. This phenomenon is also observed in the corals of Hawaii.
In fact, the western Mediterranean Sea is the marine region with the highest accumulation of anthropogenic carbon dioxide in its deep waters in the world . This is due to its proximity to human activity and the sinking of cold, dense waters that occur there, which prevents CO2 from escaping into the Atlantic through Gibraltar. Temperatures in Antarctica are also changing, as mentioned in other studies, and this could lead to a significant reduction in ice, as indicated in reports on Antarctic ice.
What consequences does this have?
Scientists warn of the direct consequences of global warming, such as the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers, the thermal expansion of water and the resulting rise in sea level, as well as an increase in maritime storms, which they predict will lead to further erosion of beaches, which are already losing between 60 and 90 centimeters annually. This coastal erosion is a critical factor to consider for urban planning and the potential influx of climate refugees in Spain.
Given these consequences, Spain may face climate refugees in the coming years, a reality that could increase, as mentioned in [reference missing]. Furthermore, the fact that drought periods are more prolonged in the semi-arid areas of southeastern Spain, along with many other factors, especially economic ones, were responsible for the mass migrations that occurred in Spain during the 1960s.
In just a few years, at the current rate of consumption and degradation, the amount of marine debris will exceed the amount of fish . Among the projects attempting to mitigate these serious consequences are the injection of carbon dioxide into deep-sea reservoirs to remove CO2 from the cycle, the exploitation of gas hydrates, whose global reserves are twice those of oil, natural gas, and coal combined, and the cleanup of the oceans , which currently contain more than five trillion floating plastic fragments. These initiatives are crucial for coastal stability in Spain and must be considered within the context of the impact of climate change on the population.
He also called for greater respect for the Spanish marine environment, which has 5% of the world's marine biodiversity, some 200.000 species, of which only 8,6% are protected.
