- The coordinators of the report, from the Clivar-Spain Committee, presented the conclusions this afternoon at the Biodiversity Foundation
- The study highlights the rapid retreat of the cryosphere in the Iberian Peninsula, the accelerated warming of ocean waters and the effects of climate change on the country’s geography and climate
In the last decade, glaciers in Spain have experienced an accelerated retreat, with a significant loss of extension and thickness. This process has reduced their number and has led to the emergence of dynamics typical of the final phases before their disappearance. This is confirmed by the CLIVAR-Spain 2024 report, presented today at the headquarters of the Biodiversity Foundation, which offers a key update on the state of the climate in Spain, highlighting the effects of climate change on the country’s terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
This publication brings together the most recent scientific advances and complements the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) at a global level, providing a detailed view of climate impacts and risks in the Spanish territory.
The presentation ceremony was attended by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Hugo Morán; the Director General of the Spanish Office for Climate Change, Elena Pita; the president of the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), María José Rallo; the coordinators of the CLIVAR-Spain committee, Gabriel Jordà and Isabel Cacho, and several authors of the report.
The CLIVAR-Spain Committee, responsible for the report, is part of an international initiative aimed at improving the understanding of climate change and its effects. Since its creation in 2004, it has established itself as a benchmark in climate research in Spain, coordinating studies on climate variability, changes in the atmosphere and ocean, and future projections. Since its creation, the CLIVAR committee has issued three reports (2006, 2010 and 2017) and an executive report (2019) on the state of the art of climate in Spain, compiling its main advances. In addition, it forms a large network of scientists focused on improving the understanding of climate change and its effects.
THE ACCELERATED DECLINE OF THE CRYOSPHERE
The report reveals that Spanish glaciers have experienced rapid retreat in the last decade, with a notable loss of extension and thickness. As a consequence, the number of glaciers has decreased significantly and new evolutionary processes characteristic of the final phases have emerged before their definitive disappearance.
Likewise, permafrost, permanently frozen ground, is disappearing in the Sierra Nevada and shows clear signs of warming in the Pyrenees, which accelerates instability phenomena such as rockfalls and avalanches. This situation poses a risk to mountaineers and hikers in the highest massifs and highlights the need to develop specific guidelines to mitigate these dangers. Long-term records also show a decrease in the duration of snow cover and its maximum accumulation in the Iberian Peninsula, which puts at risk water resources that depend on melting ice in mountain areas.
The report also warns of the disappearance of palaeoenvironmental archives stored in the ice caves of the Pyrenees and Picos de Europa, which contain valuable climate information from the last millennia. The reduction of ice in these cavities is directly related to the increase in winter temperatures and the reduction of precipitation.
THE WATERS SURROUNDING SPAIN ARE WARMING AT A FASTER RATE
Data compiled by CLIVAR-Spain confirms that all ocean waters surrounding Spain are warming at a rate 67% higher than the global average, at a rate of 0.25°C per decade, compared to 0.15°C per decade for the rest of the planet’s oceans.
The report points out that there are some exceptions to this trend in coastal regions, such as the west and north coast of the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands outcrop system, where cooling trends have even been observed.
However, the Mediterranean stands out as one of the regions most affected by climate change, as its warming rate has been between two and three times higher than the global rate since the 1980s. This phenomenon is causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of marine heat waves, as well as greater salinization of its surface waters.
The study also notes that a warmer Mediterranean is intensifying convective events and extreme rainfall, especially in autumn, which could exacerbate the risk of adverse weather events.
CONCLUSIONS
The CLIVAR-Spain 2024 report highlights the climate challenges that will significantly affect Spain’s ecosystems and populations in the coming decades. Cities, where more than 81% of the population resides, are experiencing an unprecedented rise in temperatures, driven by climate change and exacerbated by the urban heat island effect. This trend is intensifying heat waves, with direct impacts on the health and quality of life of citizens.
Likewise, the Iberian Peninsula shows a sustained decrease in relative humidity, a phenomenon that, combined with the increase in ocean evaporation, is accentuating episodes of drought and desertification, particularly in southern Europe. In this context, studies point to greater aridity in large areas of the country, with a progressive reduction in water resources and increasing exposure to extreme weather events.
At the same time, projections indicate that the aridity and severity of the drought in the south of the Iberian Peninsula will continue to worsen. The combination of higher temperatures, reduced water availability and higher evaporative demand will reinforce this process, increasing the vulnerability of ecosystems and agricultural activity.
The report underscores the urgency of taking immediate action to mitigate the effects of climate change, urging the strengthening of scientific research, improved international cooperation and the development of adaptation strategies to address these challenges in an effective and sustained manner over time.
