Water and food production are clearly interrelated. Any living being, whether animal or plant, must hydrate for full development and to complete its life cycle. In Spain, the agro-livestock sector is responsible for 80% of global water consumption. In order to improve sustainable management of this resource, we must optimise consumption in these primary sectors,…
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Floods
Global floods and extreme rainfall events have increased by over 50% this decade, and they are now occurring at a rate four times higher than in 1980 (2020 United Nations report ‘Water and Climate Change‘). The main causes of floods: intense precipitation, rising groundwater levels, or rising sea levels and waves in coastal areas. Furthermore,…
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Drought and desertification: Two sides of the same coin?
(Estimated reading time: 5,52 minutes) – Audio version of article available. The ongoing scarcity of precipitation causes meteorological drought, which generally affects large zones and generates the rest of droughts: hydrological, agricultural, socioeconomic, etc. According to the AEMET (Spanish National Weather Agency), Spain has been in a situation of meteorological drought since January of 2022…
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The sea as a biodiversity preserve and carbon sink
(Estimated reading time: 4,20 minutes) –Audio version of article available. As set forth in SDG 14 (UN Sustainable Development Goal) devoted to submarine life, “our rain, potable water, the weather, the climate, the coastlines, a large part of our food and even the oxygen in the air we breathe comes from, and is regulated by,…
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The solution is climate change is, essentially, scientific and technological
(Estimated reading time:: 3,36 minutes) – Audio version of article available. To achieve net zero emissions by 2050, technology is, and will be, an absolutely essential element. The good news is that we already have many different options, and many others are under development. With renewable energies, wind and solar generation now have solid footing.…
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Climate change is also a change in employment opportunities
(Estimated reading time: 3,42 minutes) – Audio version of article available. According to the United Nations, the planet is moving toward a 2.5º Celsius temperature increase by the end of the century, much higher than the 1.5 degrees set as the maximum objective in 2015’s Paris Accord. If we wish to meet this objective, this…
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Climate Migration: When It’s Everyone’s Problem
(Estimated reading time: : 4,35 minutes) – Audio version of article available.. In 2014, the organisation Climate Outreach and Information Network published a report telling the stories of people who are suffering from the effects of climate change. In one of them, Lucía, a Bolivian woman, stated: “I’m very worried. The snow and ice are disappearing…
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The importance of economic incentives to reach climate goals
(Estimated reading time: 3,42 minutes) – Audio version of article available. To reach carbon neutrality by 2050, the European Union has set the mid-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% in 2030 in comparison with our levels in 1990, which means a huge effort at all levels. The European Green Deal was launched…
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Water, At the Heart of Adaptation to Climate Change
(Estimated reading time: 3,05 minutes) – Audio version of article available. The changes brought about by climate change will affect the availability, quality, and quantity of water for human needs and will complicate sustainable management of water resources. Rising sea levels and melting glaciers are two of the consequences of global warming that possibly best…
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Greater Energy Independence Means Freedom
(Estimated reading time: 2,58 minutes) – Audio version of article available. Energy is an essential part of life. It meets human needs all while creating industrial, commercial, and social wealth. However, producing energy from fossil fuels increases climate change and degrades air quality, which deteriorates ecosystems and is harmful to health. Spain’s current energy model…
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