El climate change It is no longer a distant threat or a debate reserved for specialists: it is changing the climate in Spain and in Europeconditioning the way we live in cities, how we work, and even the way health systems and public budgets should be organized to protect health.
In recent years, various studies and debates in our country and in the European Union have put forward a clear message: the combination of More intense heat waves, extreme events, pollution, and population aging It is generating more disease, avoidable deaths and inequalities, while adaptation and prevention tools are advancing at different speeds.
Cities facing climate change: debate and action in Spain
The role of Cities as the main front in the climate fight It is gaining ground. In Aragon, the Council for the Protection of Nature (CPNA), together with the Natural Sciences Museum of the University of Zaragoza, has promoted a series of debates under the title "Cities facing climate change: dialogue for action", with a second panel dedicated specifically to the urban environment.
This meeting analyzes very specific challenges: the increase in temperatures in urban environments, the intensification of extreme episodes and how all of this impacts health and quality of life. The underlying idea is that adaptation cannot remain confined to strategic documents, but must translate into changes in urban design, green space management, and in the municipal policies.
From the perspective of physical geography, Professor José María Cuadrat addresses the phenomenon of urban heat islandThat is, the excess heat that cities suffer compared to their surroundings, and proposes solutions linked to planning: more shade, more vegetation, fewer paved surfaces and an urban design that mitigates, rather than amplifies, thermal extremes.
Meanwhile, public health professionals such as Julio Díaz and Cristina Linares, from the Carlos III Health Institute and the Health and Climate Change Observatory of the Ministry of Health, are delving deeper into the relationship between climate change and population healthfrom the increase in heat-related mortality to the impact of air pollution or the emergence of new biological risks.
The local perspective is complemented by the experience of the Barcelona City Council, represented by Irma Ventayol, who outlines specific measures of the Climate Plan of the city: renaturalization projects, garden management, creation of shaded spaces, and strategies to reduce the urban heat island effect. This approach is complemented by the initiatives of ECODES, presented by Pablo Pevidal, which illustrate how different cities are experimenting with formulas for adapt and mitigate climate impacts.
The CPNA itself, in addition to moderating the debate, is committed to developing a conclusions report so that the ideas discussed do not remain on paper, but can inform decisions regarding urban mitigation and adaptation.
Urban trees and local adaptation: the case of Estella-Lizarra
Adapting to climate change in cities isn't limited to large-scale plans; it also happens at the neighborhood, street, and plaza levels. A significant example is the first comprehensive inventory of municipal trees Prepared in Estella-Lizarra, where the City Council has commissioned the consulting firm Ahora Clima to conduct a comprehensive study to understand, tree by tree, the state of urban green spaces.
This inventory, which analyzes 2.931 specimens of 125 speciesWith data on location, height, age, vitality, structure, and risk level, it is conceived as a long-term planning tool. Each tree has been geolocated, enabling modern management, monitoring over time, and decisions based on technical and environmental criteria.
Among the conclusions, it is highlighted that the 81% of the trees have high vitalityOnly 3,5% are in very poor condition, and a mere 2,6% show severe tilting. In other words, the city has a green infrastructure in good condition, but it requires careful management of pruning, replacements, and the expansion of tree pits to ensure its future.
The report emphasizes that urban trees are much more than an ornamental element: they protect against increasing heat wavesIt reduces mortality associated with extreme temperatures, improves air and water quality, dampens noise, promotes biodiversity, and helps mitigate climate change by absorbing CO₂. In the case of Estella-Lizarra, it is estimated that trees offset around 2.500 tons of carbon dioxide and provide an estimated shaded area of 90.000 m².
The study also analyzes the differences between trees planted in the ground and those placed in tree pits. The former show clearly better development, leading to the proposal that... expansion of 275 tree pits They have already ruled out only eight locations as unsuitable for replanting. Furthermore, it is suggested that they gradually incorporate species that are more resistant to high temperatures. lower water availability expected in the next years.
With this type of inventory, local councils have an objective basis to guide their strategy towards a a greener and more heat-resistant citywith trees as a key element of urban climate adaptation.
Cold waves, heat waves, and a climate that has already changed
While public debate sometimes focuses on whether a specific episode is or is not a “cold wave”, data shows that the climate pattern in Spain is changing rapidly: Cold waves are becoming less frequent and less intense, while heat waves increase in number, duration and impact.
An analysis by Meteoclimática, an initiative of CREAF using data from AEMET, reveals that in the last 50 years the duration of cold waves in Spain has been reduced to a a rate of 1,2 days per decadeIn the last decade, nine such episodes have been recorded, compared to 14 between 2006 and 2015. There is even talk of the possibility of three consecutive winters without any official cold wave, something unprecedented since records began.
At the same time, the Heat waves have skyrocketedWhile 13 heat waves were documented between 2006 and 2015, the figure has risen to 30 in the last decade, with years like 2022 accumulating 41 days under heat wave conditions. Scientific studies on extreme weather events in Spain between 1940 and 2014 indicate that, since the 1980s, the intensity of heat waves has frequently exceeded that of cold spells, reversing the pattern observed in previous decades.
The geographical distribution of cold waves also presents nuances. Provinces such as Huesca and Tarragona account for the highest number of episodes of extreme cold in the last 50 years, due to exposure to continental air masses, while areas of the northwest of the peninsula, more influenced by the Atlantic, register much less. However, the general trend across the peninsula is a decrease in extreme cold, especially in mountainous areas, the Balearic Islands, the Ebro Valley, and the southwest.
Projections for the coming decades indicate that, although the Cold waves will not disappearCold waves will be less frequent and shorter in duration. For the period 2021-2050, it is estimated that the number of days per year affected by cold waves will be reduced by approximately half compared to 1971-2000, with a decrease of up to 2,4 days per decade in some scenarios. The areas most affected by this decrease will be the southern Pyrenees, the southern half of the Mediterranean coast, and the Balearic Islands.
The storm is a separate case. FilomenaThe storm that occurred in the winter of 2020-2021 combined warm, humid air with very low surface temperatures, generating record snowfall across much of the country. Subsequent analyses suggest that climate change does not necessarily increase the frequency of these types of storms, but it may modify its intensity and impacts, reinforcing precipitation in the form of snow in cold areas and favoring that, in transition zones such as Madrid, small changes in temperature determine whether snow accumulates or quickly transforms into rain.
Climate change and occupational health: new risks at work
Climate change not only affects daily life, but is also reshaping risks in the field of Prevention of occupational riskThe difference between a citizen and a worker is that the latter is forced to remain in certain environmental conditions due to the demands of their job, which aggravates their exposure to extreme temperatures and other factors associated with climate change.
In sectors such as agriculture, construction, or emergency services, the Heat stress It ceases to be an occasional risk and becomes a structural problem. It's not just about isolated heat waves: the increase in heat waves and tropical nights forces us to rethink schedules, equipment, breaks, and hydration measures, and has led to new regulations, such as the Royal Decree that strengthens protection during episodes of extreme temperatures.
The degradation of the air quality During periods of atmospheric stability and summer anticyclones, it particularly affects those who work outdoors, exposed to persistent smog. This is compounded by the expansion of biological vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks, whose life cycle accelerates with just a few additional degrees, opening the door to diseases that were previously considered distant.
Global warming also impacts the water qualityThis slows down natural purification processes in rivers and surface water bodies, leading to an increase in pathogen load and the risk of gastrointestinal infections for exposed workers. All of this necessitates more precise and personalized prevention strategies that take into account pre-existing health conditions, pregnancy, age, and language barriers that hinder safety training.
This scenario reinforces the idea that the business response cannot be limited to complying with the legal minimums. Environmental and preventive ethics It is presented as a future strategy: responsible management of resources such as water and energy, specific protection of vulnerable groups and real reduction of the corporate carbon footprint, not only due to regulatory imperative, but as a way to guarantee the continuity of activity in a changing climate.
Social perception of science and climate change in Spain
The way citizens understand climate change influences both the social pressure to act and the acceptance of the necessary measures. A recent study on scientific culture in SpainThe report, prepared by the BBVA Foundation, reveals an ambivalent reality: interest in science, but significant gaps in key knowledge, especially on issues related to the climate crisis.
According to this work, A significant portion of the population continues to attribute climate change to natural causes. or mistakenly links it to the ozone hole. Just under half identify as false the claim that current warming is solely due to natural Earth cycles, while around a third maintain that belief or express doubts about it.
Educational attainment makes a clear difference: almost half of those with tertiary education demonstrate a high or very high level of scientific knowledge, compared to a much lower percentage among those who have only completed primary education. This gap is also reflected in their own perceptions. Climate change and its severityOnly a small percentage of those with higher education question its existence, while skepticism is much higher among those with lower educational levels.
The study also points out that Ideology influencesAmong those who identify politically on the right, the proportion of people who doubt the existence of climate change increases compared to those who identify with left-wing positions. Despite this, the majority of society does not adopt an openly anti-scientific or conspiratorial perspective, although certain beliefs of this kind maintain a presence in specific segments of the population.
At the same time, the report detects uneven familiarity with the history of science: names like Albert Einstein or Marie Curie They are widely recognized, but a significant portion of the population cannot name any relevant scientific figure. And, although science sparks interest, almost nine out of ten people admit that it rarely or never comes up in their everyday conversations, making it difficult for issues like climate change to be integrated into the social debate with the necessary depth.
This context presents a twofold challenge: to strengthen the education and scientific communication to debunk persistent myths about the climate, and to ensure that the information provided by public institutions, media and experts is accessible, rigorous and capable of countering the misinformation and conspiracy theories that circulate, especially on social media.
European public health and climate budgeting: a look at Brussels
At the European level, the climate crisis has become one of the main risks to public healthRising temperatures, air pollution, and the increased frequency of extreme events translate into higher mortality, more chronic diseases, and greater pressure on healthcare systems already facing significant demographic and financial challenges.
Recent data speaks for itself: in the summer of 2024 alone, more than 62.000 deaths attributable to heat In Europe, it has a particularly high impact on people over 75 and a markedly higher mortality rate among women. Meanwhile, around 95% of the EU's urban population continues to breathe. pollution levels exceeding recommendations of the World Health Organization.
The European Investment Bank estimates that climate change will steadily increase the demand for healthcarewith hundreds of millions of additional hospital stays, emergency room visits, and consultations expected in the coming decades. However, analyses by organizations such as Health as a Right indicate that health remains a nearly invisible element in the structure of major European budgets.
Looking ahead to the new Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034, the European Commission proposes an aggregate budget close to two trillion euroswith a spending cap of around 1,26% of the EU's gross national income. However, a considerable portion of that increase will be used to repay the debt associated with the Next Generation EU program, and once inflation is taken into account, the real investment margin is tighter than it appears.
The goal is that at least the 35% of spending has a climate impact It is presented as ambitious, but analysis shows that it is calculated on a basis that excludes relevant items such as defense and security, thus reducing its effective scope. Furthermore, the elimination of the specific 10% target for biodiversity and the integration of the LIFE program into other funding lines are interpreted as a weakening of the instruments dedicated to prevention environmental and climatic.
The existence of subsidies that continue to support fossil fuels, amounting to more than 100.000 millones de euros In the EU, this contrasts with the additional investments needed to meet climate targets, estimated at close to 2% of annual European GDP. Specialized organizations warn that without a clear shift towards risk anticipation And with the systematic incorporation of health into the evaluation of programs and funds, the budget risks remaining focused on managing crises once the damage is already difficult to reverse.
The social dimension and inequality occupy a key place in this debate. Climate change shows a clear social gradientThose with fewer resources, poorer housing, and less access to healthcare suffer the most from heat waves, pollution, and extreme weather events. Therefore, there are calls for the future European budget to strengthen just transition mechanisms, introduce binding allocations focused on equity, and place health as a cross-cutting criterion in EU investment planning.
Education, funding and local action: keys to fair adaptation
The picture painted by this data and these debates links several levels of response. At the local level, there are examples of cities that analyze their urban woodlandDeveloping climate plans or promoting technical discussion forums shows that adaptation is a very concrete task: better managing green spaces, redesigning public spaces, protecting the most vulnerable people from the heat, and anticipating the effects of a more extreme climate in neighborhoods and municipalities.
In the workplace, updated regulations, climate-related risk assessments, and advanced business prevention strategies help reduce the forced exposure to extreme temperatures and pollutionThis strengthens the safety and health of millions of workers. All of this requires an interdisciplinary approach in which doctors, engineers, biologists, urban planners, and prevention specialists collaborate closely.
At a social level, studies on scientific culture insist that it is essential to improve the Citizen knowledge about climate change and its human causes, not only to combat denialism, but to generate support for ambitious policies, both in terms of emissions reduction and adaptation and health protection.
And at the European level, the discussion on the Multiannual Financial Framework opens a window of opportunity for the Community budget to act as a true climate and health prevention tool, strengthening funds allocated to mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity and just transition, and subjecting all policies to systematic health impact assessments.
The combination of scientific evidence, local experiences, and long-range financial decisions paints a picture in which climate change is already shaping daily life in Spain and Europe; the crucial question is whether cities, healthcare systems, the world of work, and institutions will be able to anticipate the impacts or simply follow them, managing their consequences when there is almost no room left to correct them.
