Spain faces extreme summer weather

Spain has endured extreme weather conditions during the summer, including heatwaves, devastating fires, and droughts. These events have raised concerns about how aware the country is of the need for urgent climate action.

Climate awareness in Spain

According to Héctor Tejero, Spain has not experienced real climate denialism in recent decades. However, there is a slight resurgence, especially among young people, linked to the rise of the far right. Most Spaniards are aware of climate change and its effects, as they experience them directly through extreme weather events.

Far-right stance on climate change

The far-right party Vox denies climate change, but surveys show that right-wing voters are aware of its human causes. They may be less concerned about it than left-wing voters, but the denialist stance of far-right leaders could influence center-right parties like the Popular Party in regional institutions.

Risks of desertification in Spain

The book Spain against the desert, co-written by Héctor Tejero and Emilio Santiago, warns of the risk of desertification in Spain due to overuse of water and land. Around 75% of the country is on the path to desertification, and 80% of its population lives in urban areas. Heatwaves cause between 2,000 and 5,000 deaths annually.

Spain's potential for climate action

Despite these challenges, Spain is at a crossroads. It is the most vulnerable European country to climate change but also has the best conditions to benefit from renewable energy and regenerative agriculture. Spain is already advanced in renewable energy deployment, and failure to act could lead to a dark future.

Ecological prosperity as a goal

Ecological prosperity refers to improving economic conditions, urban livability, and quality of life through climate adaptation. This includes more green spaces, fewer cars, and more aquatic areas in cities, as well as rural adaptation with more people living in the countryside and more diverse landscapes.

Climate coalition limitations

Currently, the climate coalition in Spain is primarily left-wing, as right-wing parties resist implementing necessary mitigation and adaptation measures. However, a future political divide may form between those supporting fossil fuels and those advocating for climate policies, rather than strictly between left and right.

Resistance within the left

There is also resistance to climate policy within the left. The Spanish Socialist Party, for example, supports climate policies overall but also backs projects that contradict them, such as expanding airports. Some left-wing parties set conditions that make climate policies harder to implement.

Renewable energy as a key solution

The book argues that renewable energy is a crucial part of ecological transformation, even with the environmental costs of mineral supply chains. Spain already gets 42% of its electricity from solar or wind, and the United Kingdom has eliminated coal entirely, proving that renewables can replace fossil fuels.

Europe's future in renewable energy

The project of ecological prosperity is applicable beyond Spain, with Europe needing to invest heavily in renewable energy to survive climate change. The future path for Europe is described as eco-socialist, focusing on climate and social protection while building an economy based on innovation and industrialization.