News

07.02.23 | Spanish-made stoppers in the Arctic | El País

Scientists at the Alfred Wegener Institute collected up to 23,000 plastics from Arctic beaches between 2016 and 2021. Among all these remains only a very small amount could be identified, but among those that have been identified are three mineral water bottle caps, two buoys and an agricultural box of Spanish origin, representing 2%.

Although the plastics collected were largely from countries closer to the Arctic, they were able to identify waste from Europe, Asia and America. One of the most significant data was the waste originating in European countries with advanced waste management systems, which turned out to be a higher percentage than expected.

07.02.23| Up to 2073 | El País

The company Ence will be able to continue to carry out its activity on the land that for some years has been protected by the Coastal Law until 2073, despite the efforts of environmental groups that tried to paralyze Ente's activity to protect the estuary from spills and other environmental consequences.
The National Court of Appeals ruled that the extension of the permit to continue using the land could not continue, but finally, after appeals by the company, the Supreme Court ruled that the annulment should be reversed, granting the use permit until 2073.

27.10.22 | Valencia to be European Green Capital in 2024 | El País

Valencia has been chosen by the European Commission to be the green capital for 2024. This recognition is awarded to those cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants that demonstrate their commitment to urban ecology and environmental sustainability, making Valencia the second Spanish city to achieve it, after Vitoria Gasteiz.

This prize has been awarded since 2010 and is closely related to other European Commission projects on climate change and the environment, such as the Green Pact or the European Union's Biodiversity Strategy 2030.

17.10.22 | Floods in Nigeria: 600 deaths and 1.3 million displaced since June | La Vanguardia

More than 600 people have died in Nigeria since June and 1.3 million have been displaced by floods. The situation is precarious and the threat of food insecurity and inflation are of concern to the nation's government. According to the World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Nigeria is already among the 6 countries in the world facing a risk of catastrophic famine, which could intensify in the coming weeks because of rainfall forecasts.

10.10.22 | Drought check on hydro boosts the rest of renewables (although it is not enough) | El Confidencial | by EC Brands

During one of the driest years in Spain, September closes with the water reserve in Spain at 32.5% of its capacity. In June, July and August, 50% less hydro power was generated than in the same period in 2021, thus intensifying the current energy crisis.

Normally, hydroelectric energy covers 15-20% of our country's demand, but, at the moment, it does not cover 10%. Unfortunately, the percentage that cannot be covered by hydroelectric generation must be supplied by combined cycle power plants, which implies higher production costs due to the price of gas. 

21.09.22 | New interagency report warns of potential 'tipping points' | News | SDG Knowledge Hub | IISD

At least ten international climate and environmental organizations contributed to this report, led by the UN Secretary-General. The document brings together the latest scientific reports on the impacts of and responses to climate change, calling for intensified adaptation and mitigation efforts.

The most important messages of the report are as follows: fossil fuel emissions already exceed pre-pandemic levels; global and ocean temperatures have broken records in recent years; mitigation commitments so far are insufficient to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and prevent the climate from undergoing irreversible changes; urban populations will suffer the socio-economic impacts of climate change; adaptation to the new climate is essential.

19.09.22 | Hurricane Fiona causes "catastrophic" damage in Puerto Rico | International | EL PAÍS | by Paola Nagovitch

On the eve of the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Maria that left 3,000 dead, Puerto Rico is facing catastrophic damage from Hurricane Fiona. In some parts of the island, the category 1 cyclone, with wind gusts of 100km/h, wiped out the island's power grid.

As of today, 70% of the island is still in darkness and without drinking water. Thousands of people have been evacuated to emergency centers. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration so that the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ) could immediately assist the local government.

19.09.22 | Hurricane Fiona causes "catastrophic" damage in Puerto Rico | International | EL PAÍS | by Paola Nagovitch

On the eve of the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Maria that left 3,000 dead, Puerto Rico is facing catastrophic damage from Hurricane Fiona. In some parts of the island, the category 1 cyclone, with wind gusts of 100km/h, wiped out the island's power grid.

As of today, 70% of the island is still in darkness and without drinking water. Thousands of people have been evacuated to emergency centers. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration so that the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ) could immediately assist the local government.

15.09.22 | The owner of the Patagonia clothing brand donates his company to the fight against climate change | Economy | EL PAÍS | by Luis Pablo Beauregard

The owner of the Patagonia clothing brand announced in a letter that his family had donated his company and any future profits it made to the fight against climate change.

Gestures of this type by large fortunes are usually controversial but this time it is not so: Neither is it a strategy to avoid paying taxes nor is it 'greenwashing'. The future profits of the company will be divided between Patagonia Purpose Trust , a trust that will own 2% of the company, and a non-profit organization called Holdfast Collective , which will own 98% of the company. In this way, the entrepreneur and his family have revolutionized the world of philanthropy.

14.09.22 | Brussels to create a European Hydrogen Bank to invest 3 billion euros | El Periódico de la Energía | Editorial Staff

During her speech in the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen announced the creation of a European hydrogen bank to invest 3 billion euros for the creation of a future market. According to Von der Leyen, this could be a "turning point" for Europe.

The President of the Commission recalled that the EU has set itself the goal of doubling renewable hydrogen production each year by 2030, for which, she stressed, there must be a market maker, hence the creation of a hydrogen bank.

19.09.2022 | Map of the fires in Spain: the fire has devastated more than 300,000 hectares | RTVE | by DatosRTVE

Estimates from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) state that the 2022 fire season is the worst of the century. The area burned in Spain already exceeds the area burned in 2012, so far the worst year since records have been kept. The most alarming thing is that the fire season is not over yet.

This article is updated daily with data on active fires captured by NASA satellites in the Mediterranean area and throughout Europe. It also includes an exhaustive analysis of the worst fires in Spain during the 21st century. Currently, the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) is keeping the Basque Country, Navarra, northern Burgos and La Rioja on alert.

12.09.22 | Europe at the crossroads of winter: how to secure energy supply by pushing the climate agenda | Levante | by Mónica Perez

The war in Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis has put the European Commission's plans to make Europe the first carbon-free continent by 2050 in jeopardy. 

Environmental awareness now coexists with the need to secure energy supplies in the face of a Russian cut-off. Some countries, such as Germany, have already taken a step back and will revert to coal, while others are considering similar solutions for the winter.

11.09.22 | Desperate neighbors after Pakistan floods: "We have no food or water " | The Daily News | by Shah Meer Baloch

One third of Pakistan is under water, nearly 1,400 people have died and more than 35 million are affected. The rains have washed away bridges, roads, livestock and people. Many locations are inaccessible as the highway through the country is flooded. NGOs and the government have only been able to reach 10% or less of those affected.

More than one million homes have been damaged or destroyed, there is no access to medicines or drinking water in some localities, generating a humanitarian crisis that has displaced millions of people. 

02.09.2022 | El verano del fuego: los grandes incendios que más hectáreas han calcinado | RTVE | by Cristina Pozo García

After a summer of intense heat waves and drought, no region seems to be safe from fire. Flames have ravaged nearly 300,000 hectares since January, according to estimates from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Up to the end of August, 63 large fires (those with more than 500 hectares burned) have been recorded across the territory.

High temperatures and low rainfall are the main triggers of these fires. However, thunderstorms and recklessness have also been key factors. The most destructive fires to date are those of Tábara and Ferreras de Arriba in the province of Zamora, Castilla y León; both have burned more than 60,000 hectares.

27.08.2022 | UN global conference for a global ocean protection treaty fails | El País | by María Antonia Sánchez-Vallejo  

On August 26, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was unable to agree on what was to be the first global treaty on the oceans. The goal of the Convention was clear: to have 30% of the high seas or international waters protected by 2030. While protection measures have been progressing in national waters, international waters, because they "belong to no one", remain outside any regulation.

The interests of some participants, mainly economic, have prevented the expected agreement from being reached. An important failure since "waters that belong to no one belong to everyone, and protecting them effectively must be a shared responsibility where there should be no bargaining or short-termism".

24.08.2022 | China's heat wave breaks records | The Washington Post | by Christian Shepherd and Ian Livingston

Unusual phenomenon this summer in the Asian giant. The heat wave in China has exceeded 70 consecutive days with extreme temperatures and a high humidity environment. 900 million people have been affected by it, in addition to the serious impact on the country's social and economic activity.

This situation has led to forest fires and drought in the country's major rivers. For the first time, the Chinese meteorological service has issued a national drought warning.

21.08.22 | The fire devours again the Comunitat: 2022, the year with more burned hectares of this century after 2012 | Valenciaplaza | Guillermo R. Gil

The Valencian Community has suffered an arduous fire season in August, with more than 32,000 hectares razed in almost seven days. During the first fortnight of the month, a weather cocktail that included westerly winds and high temperatures triggered two large fires in Bejís (Castellón) and Vall d'Ebo (Alicante). The Bejís fire burned some 20,000 hectares of forest area and forced the evacuation of several municipalities, while the Vall d'Ebo fire burned 12,150 hectares in this town and other regions.

Historical statistics show that the most devastating years for the Valencian soil have been 2012 and 2022. Ten years ago more than 48,000 hectares were burned in the fires of Cortés de Pallás and Andilla.

14.08.22 | EU registers an all-time record of 660,000 hectares burned so far this year, with Spain leading the way | Europa Press: Redacción

So far this year, fire has burned around 660,000 hectares in the countries of the European Union. This is an all-time record since records have been kept. A third of these fires have occurred in Spain and the country leads the ranking with 245,061 hectares devastated, according to data compiled by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Behind are Romania and Portugal, with 150,528 and 75,277 hectares burned respectively. In addition, EFFIS highlights that this year there are also important fires in other areas of northern Europe that are not usually affected.

04.08.2022 | In 50 years' time, will anyone still be living in central Spain? How climate change threatens the world's most liveable country | Financial Times | by Simon Kuper

British journalist Simon Kuper has spent a year living and traveling in Spain. His conclusion: Climate change is threatening the world's most habitable country with its devastating effects on Spanish territory. After the heat wave from the Sahara in spring, parts of Spain are at their driest in a millennium, exceeding 40 degrees, "which is not habitable."

The British author asks whether the government is focusing on the priority problems: "You would think that the climate would be the priority for a hot, dry country, but in reality Spaniards spend more time arguing about national unity. A change of focus is needed if Spain's hinterland is not to be uninhabitable by 2070 - or even earlier.

22.07.22 | Valencia becomes one of the two finalist cities for European Green Capital 2024 | Levante | by Carlota Mendoza

Valencia, along with the Italian city of Cagliari, has become a finalist for the title of European Green Capital 2024, an initiative of the European Commission that rewards efforts to improve the environment and quality of life in European cities.

 The Commission has selected Valencia from among 8 candidatures and will announce the winner on October 27 . Whatever the outcome, Valencia's progress in the selection process "is a sign that we are on the right path towards sustainability" in the city of Turia.

21.07.22 |Migratory monarch butterfly becomes endangered according to the IUCN Red List | IUCN

Monarch butterflies have declined by 22% to 72% in the last decade. The westernpopulation is at greatest risk of extinction, having declined by an estimated 99.9%. The larger eastern population has also declined by 84% between 1996 and 2014. 

Deforestation, pesticides and herbicides kill butterflies and milkweed, the host plant on which monarch butterfly larvae feed. In addition, climatic changes also pose a threat: drought limits milkweed growth and increases the frequency of forest fires; extreme temperatures trigger migrations before milkweed is available; while severe weather events kill millions of butterflies.

30.06.22| Supreme Court undermines US fight against climate change | El País | by Miguel Jiménez

The conservative-majority Supreme Court compromises the Joe Biden administration's climate agenda after ruling that limits the power of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to impose limits on emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

The ruling takes away the EPA's authority to impose nationwide emissions restrictions, elevating that power to Congress, where Democrats do not have a majority to unblock their legislative proposals. This ruling is a major triumph for fossil fuel producers, who have strong allies in the Republican ranks.

10.06.2022 | May 2022 was the warmest May of this century and the second driest since records began | NIUS Diario | by Europa Press

Last May was extremely warm, with a temperature 3.0°C above the average for this month (reference period: 1981-2010). It was the second warmest May since the beginning of the series in 1961. This is reflected in the monthly climate balance of the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET).

May 2022 was also extremely dry in terms of precipitation, making it the driest May since the series began in 1961. In addition, May 2022 becomes the third sunniest month since records have been kept.

25.05.2022 : Launch of the European Commission's RePowerEU Plan to end the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels: Joint European Action for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy : FI Group: by Miguel Prado

On May 18, 2022, the European Commission presented the RePowerEU plan to end the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels. This plan seeks energy savings, diversification of supply and accelerated deployment of renewable energies.

Some of the main recommendations of the European Commission in this regard are the incentive to Member States for a 9 %-13 % increase of the binding energy efficiency target or the increase of the main renewable energy target for 2030.

21.05.2022 | Valencia is scorching at 35 degrees Celsius | Las Provincias | by Juan Sanchis 

Despite being in the middle of spring, the Valencian Community is experiencing a heat wave caused by a warm air mass of Saharan origin, leaving temperatures more typical of summer.

The thermometers reached unusual temperatures not only in inland municipalities, but also on the coast, where temperatures are usually milder due to sea breezes, reaching 35 degrees in some parts of the Community. 

06.04.22 | Geopolitical confrontation and climate crisis| El Pais| by Antxon Olabe

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has drastically altered the European and global geopolitical chessboard in which the energy transition and the response to the climate crisis is taking place.

In these confrontational times, the response to the planetary environmental emergency remains the central challenge that will define our generation.

05.04.22 | IPCC vice-chair calls for greenhouse gas cuts by 2030| El Pais| by Manuel Planelles

IPCC Vice Chair Thelma Krug highlights the need to implement deep cuts in greenhouse gases to meet the Paris Agreement targets.

"For all sectors we already have technologies that would allow us to halve emissions by 2030".

05.04.22 | Brussels 'squeezes' Spain and asks for greener agriculture for the new CAP| El Español| by Noelia Ruiz

Europe believes that the Spanish proposal "does not sufficiently address" the "urgent" need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming as well as associated ammonia pollutant emissions. The need to improve water management, to reduce soil erosion and desertification and to reverse the loss of biodiversity habitat and landscape are other points that, in the EC's view, are not sufficiently addressed despite the fact that they "were highlighted in the recommendations provided to Spain".

02.04.22 | IPCC expert warnings ignored over war and economic crisis| The Guardian| by Fiona Harvey

The war in Ukraine and the economic crisis is overshadowing the third part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. The second part, published at the same time as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was not given much attention either. However, according to the director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at the London School of Economics, although media attention to the latest reports was fleeting, governments around the world are now looking closely at the details of the reports.

01.04.2022 | The Consell de la Comunitat Valenciana approves the draft Law on Climate Change and Ecological Transition | ValénciaExtra | by Celia Martínez Bello

On April 1, 2022, the Plenary of the Consell approved the draft Law on Climate Change and Ecological Transition of the Valencian Community with the aim of reversing the impact of climate change in our territory. To this end, the new legislative project defines four priority lines of action: Energy, Urbanism and Territory, Mobility and Green Taxation.

Among others, the objectives of reducing emissions within the Valencian Community by 40% by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050 stand out. However, if we compare these ambitions with European regulations, the Consell falls short of the target set by Brussels, which is to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030. Click on the title to learn more.

11.02.22 | Amazon deforestation: Record number of trees felled in January| BBC News| by Georgina Rannard

This January marked a new record for deforestation in Brazil. The area destroyed is five times larger than its counterpart in 2021 and the largest since deforestation monitoring began in Brazil in 2015.

On the one hand, the Amazon is home to communities that use the forest for industrial farming or mining in order to survive. On the other hand, indigenous communities living in the area struggle to protect the forests and their way of life.

10.02.22 | The tiny device that will drastically reduce ship carbon emissions | Climate News | Sky News| by Madeline Ratcliffe

Maritime freight transport is responsible for 2.5 to 3% of annual CO2 emissions, or about 940 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Incredibly, the accumulation of algae or barnacles on the hulls of ships is an important factor. The International Maritime Organisation estimates that a vessel can consume up to 55% more fuel when barnacles cover as little as 1% of its hull.

However, a British company has developed a device resembling a small loudspeaker that attaches to the hull of ships and emits vibrations to prevent the appearance of these organisms.

01. 02. 22 | Extreme Temperatures in the Ocean: The New Normal | Science News | ScienceDaily

A new study reveals that climate-driven ocean warming has become the 'new normal'. According to the study, more than half of the ocean surface has exceeded historical heat records yearly since 2014.

As Van Houtan explains, when marine ecosystems near the tropics experience extremely high temperatures, the collapse of important organisms such as corals, seagrass meadows or kelp forests can occur. Altering the structure of these ecosystems impedes their ability to provide essential services to human communities or act as carbon sinks.

23. 01. 22 | Large-scale Farming: A Step by Step | Climate and Environment | EL PAÍS | by Mariano Zafra, Miguel Ángel Medina, Jacob Vicente López, Luis Sevillano Pires, Daniele Grasso

While Europe is reducing its pig production, industrial pig farming is increasing in Spain. Their waste, known asslurry, affects the surrounding land and water, threatening biodiversity, agriculture and human life.

Although some livestock farmers defend the usefulness of slurry as a natural fertiliser, when it is deposited excessively, it produces an accumulation of nitrates that over time contaminates groundwater - essential for drinking water supply - and aquifers, and can thus spread its toxicity over tens of kilometres.

23. 01. 22 | Yuval Noah Harari: The 2% solution that could curb the climate crisis | Ideas | EL PAÍS

Israeli writer Yuval Noah Harari(Sapiens, 2011) estimates that the world can meet the climate challenge with an additional 2% of global GDP per year.

"We are not talking about burning piles of cash as a great sacrifice to the Earth spirits. We are talking about investing in new technologies and infrastructure". 

In the face of recent pessimism and resignation - which are as dangerous as climate negationism - the article sends a message of hope: "we can stop it with just 2%".

13. 01. 22 | 2021: Global temperatures reach new record high | CNN | by Rachel Ramirez

Two recently published reports, one by NASA and the other by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, found that 2021 was the sixth consecutive warmest on record. According to the latest scientific research, global temperatures have reached 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels, which means we are 27% away from reaching the 1.5°C threshold. 

Another worrying fact confirmed by the studies is the fact that Arctic temperatures are rising three times faster than those of the rest of the planet. In addition, ocean temperatures also set a new record as the highest on record.

02. 01. 22 | Spain to Brussels: "it makes no sense" to consider nuclear energy and natural gas as green technologies | Energy | EL PAÍS | by Ignacio Farizo and Xosé Hermida

The Spanish government has rejected a proposal by the European Commission to consider atomic energy and natural gas as green technology, according to the newspaper El País, as it considers that it "sends the wrong signals for the energy transition of the EU as a whole". 

In contrast, France and Germany support the project probably because two thirds of the energy generated in France comes from nuclear power plants, and Germany has opted to introduce natural gas in the transition of its old coal power plants. 

15. 12. 21 | European Green Deal: Commission proposal about sustainable carbon absorption, recycling and storage

A European Commission Communication on sustainable carbon cycles crystallises the EU's intention to reduce carbon emissions and meet the 2050 targets. This initiative focuses in particular on the potential of nature-based solutions as carbon sinks.

The communication proposes the implementation of a series of practices known as 'carbon farming', which would not only reduce CO2 emissions but could also improve biodiversity in the area where they are implemented. Some examples of carbon farming are: reforestation, no-till practices (do not disturb the soil), or the use of catch crops (improve soil structure) and cover crops (green fertilizer).

25. 11. 21 | LIFE programme: more than 290 million euros allocated to nature, environment and climate action projects

The commission approved €290 million to fund climate and environmental projects. This initiative aims to move the EU towards emission neutrality. According to Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, one of the most important features of LIFE projects is their ability to bring together citizens, institutions, NGOs and industry.

Latest IPCC (UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) status report published on 9 August 2021 with a "code red for humanity".

First in a series of studies to be published by the IPCC in the coming months on climate change - and the first major review of this environmental threat since 2013.

This new report warns that the world is dangerously close to the tipping point in global warming. It also points out that in the 2030s the planet will exceed the 1.5 degree temperature rise threshold agreed by the Paris Agreement. Only a large-scale and lasting reduction in greenhouse gas emissions can limit this devastating future for which it concludes "humans are indisputably responsible". It is a stark warning about the well-being of human society and all life on Earth.

"It's time to get serious," warn the scientists, pointing out that very few nations have submitted new climate change plans for the next summit (COP26) in Glasgow in November, already postponed for a year because of the pandemic.