For Spain, the consequences of climate change are more dramatic than for other countries in Europe. There is a lack of drinking water, the shrinking beaches. Some see the tourist in danger.
Nicholas Stern has no doubt: “If the temperature rises above the limits that we have set out in the Paris agreement, then there is a clear risk that Spain will turn into the Sahara desert,” said the British Economist, pointed out in 2006 in his “Stern Report” on the consequences of climate change, in the spring, at a conference in San Sebastian.
While the climate activist Greta Thunberg galvanizes the Spanish youth, many ask whether the Spanish government has understood the importance of renewable energy and environmental protection for the country.
While trying to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, risking every year, thousands of migrants from the Western Sahara, their lives, because of the heat and lack of rain will destroy your future.
It could happen soon, with Andalusia, where most of the refugees arrive, if they survive the journey across the sea. The world Bank expects that in the coming years, 80 million Africans due to climate change in the North or to Europe to emigrate will be. Spain is due to its location and history, the starting point for many of these refugees.
Spain wants to be a green world
The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez took down the Med7-a Meeting of the Mediterranean countries and recently in Malta for the implementation of an investment plan for Africa and a separate investment framework for Morocco. He also said that Spain needed to be in the area of climate protection leader in Europe. Because of the change in the temperatures, winds, and seasons has an influence on the most stable source of income for the country: tourism.
The business with the travelers secures the most Jobs in Spain, which suffers from traditionally high structural unemployment. The industry needs to be nurtured. Sánchez was, therefore, as the star in March called in San Sebastian when it comes to climate protection Congress “Change the Change” to more up-Tempo and seriousness in the implementation of the climate targets. “The Central pillar of the EU strategy”, also called the Spanish Prime Minister, wants to raise its profile as a speaker of southern Europe in this area.
Spain produces solar energy cheaper than Germany. The power plant of Gamasolar in Seville.
His environmental and energy Minister Teresa Ribera, he wants to place in the Post-Poker in Brussels as a Vice-President of the Commission, or at least as a head of Ministry: “With the abolition of the tax for self-installed solar panels, has given the starting shot for a new energy policy in Spain,” says Luis Mereno, publisher of the magazine “Energías Renovables”.
He keeps the trained lawyer for a very competent Minister in the Cabinet of Sánchez. You have already understood ten years ago, as Secretary of state under José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero, that Spanish the natural way, the sun’s energy, but at the time, the Panels were still too expensive.
Objective: a pioneer in climate protection
Currently, Spain imported annually for 40 billion euros in Gas and Oil, mainly from Algeria and Saudi Arabia. The money could save the country, if it would, with its many unused areas and its 3000 hours of sunshine a year, more solar power, says Economist José Carlos Díez, of the Universidad de Alcalá in Madrid. “We produce one Megawatt of solar power for 30 Euro in Germany and France costs 40 euros and in the UK 60,” says Díez.
The energy industry is important, with a share of 15 percent of the gross domestic product, one of the largest energy consumers in the country are costs for tourism. Device that’s why more and more in the criticism of the environmentalists, the attack, especially the aviation and cruise industry.
Also, the high water consumption of Hotels and Golf courses will be criticized for years. In addition, there is a Problem with the efficient treatment of water. In tourist strongholds such as Mallorca, the Canary Islands or Benidorm water from the tap is still filtered. The Problem of the approximately 750 Spanish desalination plants is that they consume a lot of energy, and the salt is usually returned to the sea pumps and the underwater life off the shores of change.
In the review: cruise ships in the port of Palma, Mallorca.
This technique, which is used in Spain since 1964, was an important prerequisite for the development of mass tourism. Today, Spain is, after Saudi Arabia, the USA and the United Arab Emirates, the country, the de-salted on most of the water, show data of the industry Association AEDyR. Used the water for agriculture and the many Golf courses and green areas there are, even in the dry South.
Spain’s Problem with the sea level
Spain is not only tourism, but also one of the most important exporters of agricultural products in the world. The farmers also provide a lot of attack surface area for a protector of the climate. “You’re wasting a lot of water, many pesticides and make the soil due to wrong cultivation is broken,” says the Madrid-based agricultural consultant and Tech entrepreneur Rafael Álvarez.
For Spain, the rise in sea level is one of the biggest problems, says Álvarez. He is convinced that in the coming years, a lot of beaches and fields are literally flooded. In the North of the country, erosion is already a Problem today. A total of 5.978 km long coastal strip, where 90 percent of tourists to make holiday becomes narrower.
The research Director of the Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental (IH) in Cantabria; Íñigo Losada, warns of the consequences for holiday home owners and hotel chains. If coral reefs disappear, to be places for diving tourists is less interesting, so Losada. At the same time rising water level has the coast could inundate sections of Cancun.
Spain has Melià, Barceló, Iberostar and Riu about the world’s major travel and tourism companies are already planning for the worst case. As has informed Melià, as the Hotels there can be insured. The should also do a German holiday home owners in Spain, says Losada. “I don’t know whether we will be able to resist.” He believes that resettlement would have to in some places in Spain take place. But no one wished to speak, says the Mallorca-employed real estate attorney Tim Wirth. “That would otherwise trigger a panic.”