{"id":15869,"date":"2023-01-26T13:42:57","date_gmt":"2023-01-26T12:42:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/?p=15869"},"modified":"2025-03-03T13:15:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T12:15:22","slug":"santander-at-risk-climate-change-threatens-beaches-water-supply-and-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/15869\/santander-at-risk-climate-change-threatens-beaches-water-supply-and-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Santander at risk: climate change threatens beaches, water supply and future"},"content":{"rendered":"
The autonomous community of Cantabria forms part of the alluring ‘Green Coast’ in northern Spain. It’s a Walhalla for nature lovers. However, this could change in the near future, because Cantabria is one of the most vulnerable regions in the country in regards of climate change. Its capital, Santander, is already noticing the effects. The beaches are shrinking, it barely rains and worst of all: the city can’t guarantee access to drinking water in the summer. With climate change accelerating, the future is uncertain. How will Santander adapt to these challenges and protect itself?<\/strong><\/p>\n The city used to be known for its rainy, mild climate, but that’s no longer the case since the climate started shifting. On what should be a cold and wet December day, Santander is basking in 19 degree sunny weather. Which makes the local policymakers grow worried about the effects of climate change on the city. \u201cWe should re-evaluate what we\u2019re doing wrong, because we must be doing something wrong for the climate to change\u201d, says Margarita Rojo, city hall\u2019s environmental advisor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[aesop_map height=”500px” sticky=”left”]\n\n[aesop_map_marker hidden=”on”]\n Playa del Camello (2022) – Shows lack of sand and that Rojo’s prediction of rocky beaches could become reality<\/p><\/div>\n According to Rojo the physical changes are best seen on the beaches. \u201cThere\u2019s a shortage of sand on our beaches. Especially on the ones facing south. A lot of the sand has disappeared, which has uncovered things that weren\u2019t there before. Like a small dock that has turned into a small wall and now separates Los Peligros beach and La Magdalena beach.\u201d She wouldn\u2019t be surprised if the beaches would get even more affected in the near future. \u201cBased on what we already know I think it\u2019s very likely. We could end up with rock beaches or even badly accessible beaches if we don\u2019t try to preserve and maintain what we have now.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rojo\u2019s fears may become reality sooner than she thought, considering Greenpeace Spain has already predicted that the Cantabrian Coast is at risk of losing its beaches within the next ten years already.<\/span><\/p>\n However, shrinking beaches aren\u2019t the only physical and noticeable changes in the city. Any \u2018<\/span>Santanderino\u2019<\/span><\/i> that\u2019s been living there for some years, will tell you they\u2019ve noticed the effects of climate change already. Dori Gutierrez Gutierrez has been living in the area for 82 years. When asked how the climate has changed over the years she laughs. \u201c40 years ago I never left the house without an umbrella, but nowadays it rarely rains. I also remember the freezing cold winters and how you could see the white mountaintops from the bay. But over the last few years you could barely even tell that it\u2019s winter.\u201d Gutierrez\u2019s experience reflects a larger trend: Santander\u2019s rainfall is drastically decreasing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Part of the Ebro river in Cantabria<\/p><\/div>\n According to Rojo the lack of rain is due to the warm \u2018southern wind\u2019 that comes to town more often. \u201cAs long as there\u2019s a southern wind there\u2019s no rain.\u201d It seems to form a barrier that won\u2019t let the clouds and rain in. And that\u2019s a serious problem for the water supply of the city. Rojo goes on to explain the issues they started having in the summer of 2022\u00a0 \u201cWe didn\u2019t have enough to get drinking water to the citizens’ taps. Eventually we had to request water from the Cantabrian government, they had to supply us with water from the Ebro reservoir for many months. It was the first time that this happened.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Interestingly enough the Ebro reservoir also faces problems. \u201cThe water reservoirs in southern Spain may have recovered in spite of the water shortage, but the Ebro reservoir hasn\u2019t fully recovered and is still at a very low capacity.\u201d Rojo thinks that the lack of snowfall in the mountains of Reinosa plays a big part in this, since it affects the reach of the Ebro. \u201cAside from what it means for the climate if there\u2019s no snow, it\u2019s also a problem for people\u2019s livelihood. Because the ski resorts in these mountains are a very important economic resource in this region.\u201d It goes to show that climate change doesn’t just affect nature, it trickles down into basic things like having access to tap water or people\u2019s source of income.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s clear that Santander is already experiencing a glimpse of what the future has in store for them. And it will only get worse if nothing changes. According to research published in <\/span>Observatorio Social \u2018La Caixa\u2019<\/span><\/a>, Cantabria is one of two of the most vulnerable autonomous communities when it comes to climate change. These vulnerabilities are already manifesting themselves through higher temperatures, decrease of rain and deficits in the availability of sufficient and good quality water resources. That\u2019s why city hall ordered the University of Cantabria to make a<\/span> Plan of Adaptation to Climate Change<\/span><\/a>, to look into the future risks of climate change for Santander.<\/span><\/p>\n Santander – originally a fisher’s city. Still known for anchovies and grilled sardines<\/p><\/div>\n The researchers found that by 2050 Santander will indeed experience a moderate increase in temperature, in all seasons. This will significantly affect the amount of heat waves and tropical nights. The prolonged heat waves are already putting pressure on the urban infrastructure, from power systems to water supply and sanitation networks. In addition, the temperature rise could possibly increase the incidence and severity of respiratory diseases in Santander. Which threatens their largely elderly <\/span>population.<\/p>\n Even though Rojo said they\u2019re experiencing water shortages, the prediction for the future is that rainfall will become more extreme. More frequent and severe urban flooding threatens the safety and habitability of the population. The growing urbanization contributes to increased risk of flooding and landslides. Moreover, the rise of sea levels show risks of beach recession, which is in line with what Rojo said before. It comes with the consequences of economic and social impact. One example being the rising water temperatures that could affect the food chain and local fisheries in the long term.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the researchers the current changes already put significant pressure on the current infrastructure and city structure. And this will only intensify as time goes on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nCoastline under threat<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Impact on basic necessities\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Infrastructure not ready for 2050’s struggles<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Green capital<\/span><\/h3>\n