As I have mentioned in previous articles climate change and its effects threaten Catalonia. Among them we find the rise in sea level and the regression of the beaches. These are the ones that will most affect Catalonia in the coming years.
has been issued a report on climate change in Catalonia and has been presented in Barcelona. The document consists of about 624 pages and has been prepared by 141 experts from universities and research centers. How will climate change affect Catalonia?
Third Report on Climate Change in Catalonia
The report warns of an abnormally high rise in temperatures and which could increase deaths from annual heat waves. One of the effects of climate change is the increase in the frequency and intensity of heat and cold waves. Therefore, deaths from heat waves could increase as heat waves increase. For more information on how extreme weather affects the population, you can visit this article on Spain is the country most affected by heat waves in Europe.
So far, the annual deaths from heat waves in Catalonia are around 300. However, according to this published report, they could reach at 2.500 by 2050. The part of the population most affected by heat waves would be the elderly and people with previous chronic diseases.
According to the report, the average temperature of Catalonia has increased by 1,55 degrees from the 50s. As the effects of climate change increase due to the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the heat and temperature increase scenarios will worsen. It is estimated that by 2050 the average temperature will rise 1,4 degrees more. To understand how extreme heat impacts animals, I recommend reading this article on how heat affects animals.
Furthermore, we're talking about deaths from heat waves, but we must add to this the increase in pollution that will be exacerbated by high temperatures and is currently estimated to cause 3.500 premature deaths each year. This problem is directly related to the extreme weather being experienced in various regions.
For now, all the signs of climate change that are taking place point to an increase in extreme temperatures, these being heat waves, tropical nights, etc. Coming to have nights in which it does not go below 25 degrees.
The consequences of climate change in Catalonia
The first consequence is drought. By 2051, according to the report, the average reduction in water resources it will be around 10% in the Pyrenean basins and a maximum of 22% in the littoral basins. An interesting fact is that cold weather can be more dangerous than warm weather, which highlights the need to be alert to these changes, as mentioned in the article titled the cold climate and its danger.
Obviously, the drought results in less rain. Until now, climate change has not yet affected the rainfall regime significantly, however, in 2050 there are estimated reductions in rainfall -10% in spring, summer and fall. This could worsen the situation in Catalonia regarding water resources.
As a result of the increase in temperature and average temperatures, there will be less precipitation in the form of snow. Snowfall will become increasingly scarce. The report recommends increasing artificial snowmaking capacity so that ski resorts can alleviate the shortage. This is especially relevant considering that climate change has also raised sea temperatures, as mentioned in the article on the rise in temperature in TasmaniaFurthermore, in the context of high temperatures, it is important to be informed about the temperature records being reached.
As in almost all cities with a coastline, rising sea levels are a serious problem. The Catalan sea is rising by about four centimeters per decade. These changes, the report collects, it is accompanied by an increase in autumn storms and the massive mortality of species such as coral or posidonia. In this sense, global warming has direct repercussions on marine fauna.
Answers to this
You can no longer promote a denialism to what is happening and what is to come. There are people who deny the existence of climate change and they accuse governments and scientists of acting out of fear. However, the evidence is there: the widespread rise in temperatures, displacement, and changes in the length of the seasons will also have consequences for asthma attacks and allergies (currently between 20% and 25% of the population suffers from some type of allergy). A significant increase in these phenomena can be observed in the current context of climate change in Catalonia.
Also of the potential risk of suffering tropical diseases such as dengue, malaria or chikungunya, which would be added to other diseases transmitted by the deterioration of the water, aggravated by the drought. By 2100, according to the report itself, Catalonia may decrease to by 13% its water resources.
