“It better be a turning point because what we are overcoming are the turning points of the planet” – the critical thresholds from which there is no turning back. The deputy of Les Corts Valencianes Juan Bordera (Compromís) spoke like this just a few days after a devastating DANA took 216 lives in his community. Has the climate alarm bell rung in Spain?
That Spain is a country vulnerable to the impacts already caused by climate change (like the multiplication of the force of DANAS) is a scientifically proven reality for years. However, the country has not been immune to denialist speeches and delays in adopting measures, not only to mitigate the causes of global warming, but also the decisions with which to prepare for the new climate reality.
“Climate change kills”the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, repeated this Tuesday at the Baku Climate Summit where he brought the testimony of the deadly DANA to illustrate “a reality that has gone from academic articles to our televisions and windows.”
“For society, these floods do represent a turning point,” reflects the professor of Geographic Analysis at the University of Alicante, Jorge Olcina. “Because it is a hard blow to the conscience and many people have realized what can happen when construction is built in flood-prone areas or when warning is not given to the population.”
For society, these floods do represent a turning point. Because it is a hard blow to the conscience and many people have realized what can happen when construction is built in flood zones or when warning is not given to the population.
Jorge Olcina
— Professor of Geographic Analysis at the University of Alicante
However, also from the field of science, the expert in desertification (one of the most pressing climate impacts on the peninsula) from the Ramón Margalef Institute, Jaime Martínez Valderrama, is not so clear: “I don’t know if this will be a before.” and an after because [la tormenta] Filomena could have been or other previous floods, although they did not have this number of deaths.”
“I am surprised that an automatic defense is also being activated in other places with the phrase: ‘this cannot happen here’,” confesses this doctor in Agricultural Engineering. “I think the older woman continues to deny herself, it’s impressive. There are even those who, on the contrary, are using this DANA as a turning point to deny climate change, saying that these phenomena have always occurred.”
“It is true that in places where very traumatic events such as DANA have occurred, there is usually a turning point in perception, as happened to a certain extent with the pandemic when we saw concern skyrocket over environmental issues related to health,” reflects political scientist Cristina Monge. Although he asks for a little time to see how that feeling or social perception evolves: “We have to wait to see how it evolves.”
We have seen minor floods that already provoked calls for climate action, and if public managers want to defend the general interest, adaptation and measures to confront climate attacks should be at the forefront of political action.
Javier Andaluz
— responsible for climate change at Ecologistas en Acción
In Spain, at least on a theoretical level, the majority of the population considers that climate change is a relevant problem that must be addressed with great urgency. A survey by Esade and Carlos III University in June 2022 reflected that Spaniards attributed an importance of 8.3 points out of 10. Another thing was to accept the necessary measures to stop it. Most of them rejected making it difficult to use gasoline, diesel or the consumption of meat, for example.
“We have seen minor floods – with less impact than this last one – that already provoked calls for climate action,” says the person responsible for climate change at Ecologistas en Acción, Javier Andaluz. The environmentalist adds that “if public managers want to defend the general interest, adaptation and measures to confront climate attacks should be at the forefront of political action.”
Sumar’s deputy in the Congress of Deputies, Júlia Boada, recalls that “each extreme phenomenon that impacts the population in a traumatic way, we think is the definitive event for a massive awakening regarding climate change, but I fear that will not be the case. . These days we have talked little about adaptation and mitigation policies and a lot about hoaxes and anti-politics.”
Ease the transition
Cristina Monge analyzes that, “if there is a change in citizen perception, there will also be more social understanding when some of the ecological transition measures that must be carried out and that could generate rejection or reluctance are implemented.” He also elaborates that now “there is an opportunity to properly rebuild the areas affected by the floods: incorporate flood issues into general urban planning plans or solutions based on nature.” The political scientist believes that “the change in perception should facilitate the transition.”
If there is a change in citizen perception, there will also be more social understanding when some of the ecological transition measures that must be carried out and that could generate rejection or reluctance are implemented.
Cristina Monge
— Political scientist
In that sense, Olcina considers that if the effect of this episode were to be diluted, “at least the work carried out would have to remain, the remains of the human teams that have intervened and that the necessary planning be put in place to rebuild first and plan more harmoniously afterwards.”
On the other hand, Jaime Martínez Valderrama clarifies that “the technical or scientific profiles have not failed here. They have worked well. “I don’t know if this episode will have stirred consciences at the political level because I don’t know if a vote calculation will continue if measures are applied.”
Representative Júlia Boada affirms that, in reality, the knowledge is already there, that there is nothing to discover: “The managers who base their climate policies on science already know that we are late and that the ambition of these policies must be accelerated” .
This delay is evident, especially when undertaking adaptation plans to climate effects. “Until now, bad adaptation practices have occurred, such as allowing construction in these vulnerable areas,” explains Javier Andaluz. “We have doubts about the ability of the administrations to understand that actions in the coming months after the DANA coup are not enough, but that they have to be long-term.”
“The problem – adds Boada – is the denialist managers and those who think that we can continue doing things as always.” In this sense, Juan Bordera considers that “the case of Valencia should serve to bravely face a situation that has gotten out of hand. It is time to focus more on adaptation, and what is clear is that territorial planning must be greatly adapted to manage this type of catastrophes that will come more (and worse).”
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