Spains drying up
 

In Catalonia we are experiencing the worst drought in decades. Going to be 40 degree weather here very soon to add to the misery. People are saying it’s going to be a desert like in parts of Africa before we know it.

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Parts of Alicante campo are the same - little vegetation or animals. I can't remember the last time it seriously rained. I heard there are serious concerns in Valencia about the lack of water to grow rice - can only expect to see food prices shooting up even more.

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I wonder how much all these people zooming about the place in their cars in search of entertainment because they can't bear public transport have contributed to where we find ourselves today?

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Will be getting worse and further down you already have desertification. Returned from Catalonia last month and never been so dry this early, luckily it looks like Lloret/Vidreres area will get some rain this weekend and temps seem to be around the mid 20s. If you look at webcam further inland (example here) it is still very green, but around Barcelona onwards it's pretty bad.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...357b88243a.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...24ce5c254c.jpg

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It is a big thing in Andalucía at the moment with the protected wildlife park of Doñana being a political election point for the May vote. Basically no rain for 90 days and local agriculture is suffering- you either want protection of wildlife or an ocean of plastic tunnels. Also yesterday it was revealed that the oceans are now at their peak warmth ever and scientists are suggesting this means they can no longer absorb CO2 leading to a much faster heating up than originally thought- meanwhile my son's school runs an environmental week while at the same time saying that the number of large SUV vehicles dropping off pupils is blocking the entrance roads. In Uk environmental protesters were jailed for 2 years!. Also social media sites don't help- ronaldo gets so many likes the energy used is equivalent to the average energy consumption of a family house and that is every post. And incidentally AI uses huge amounts of energy too. So ....not much chance for our over consumming species now!

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I don't fly and have no kids + I planted several trees and wildflower patches in garden and rarely even use the heat pump :lol:. In Ireland we also have no public transport where I live + when in Spain I also pick up litter from the beaches which I couldn't reach by bus:p. I also tried to get the most economical car I could afford, but don't force me to take the bus on weekends. During the week i also stay at home while others are back and forth on a bus from Monday to Friday.

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I won't force you to take the bus if you stop misrepresenting people who live in towns/cities without cars as couch potatoes who don't walk more than 500m a day between home and the nearest bar, or make out that they are stuck in the same place never going anywhere. Deal?

If there's litter on beaches that can't be reached by bus, the people driving there are not very environmentally friendly, are they?

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I never said couch potatoes??? The beaches that have litter are places that can be reached by bus by other people or people who stay there, but we have no bus there.
In the other post I just said that all people are different and I can't understand how people can sit in the sun all day and only walk 500 metres just like Ronnyone couldn't understand how somebody who is 45 wouldn't work. So I really just highlighted that we can't expect all people to be the same:amen:.

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Even if you don’t fly, shower less and walk to work , the worlds still going to get warmer. Have you seen how much co2 China and India pump into the atmosphere.

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China and India simply supply our westrn demand for cheap products which in turn leads to more demand- so we are very much complicit in this. If people in the west stopped consuming so much then that would reduce demand and reduce emission to some degree.

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I'm fully aware of it and just had to comment as Lynn R was trying to make me the biggest climate contributor as I prefer to drive and still enjoy exploring places. All I can do is try my best and even in Ireland we have had droughts this February, but the little wildflower meadow I have will not stop China and India's growth and how we in the West consume today. If droughts get worse in coming years I'm also prepared to sell up in Spain.
The only problem is that while we're enjoying higher temps in Ireland, intense winter storms are increasing and more and more people will arrive here.

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The US emits twice as much CO2 as India with a quarter of the population.

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Just seen this post from the Lagunas Torrevieja - thought I would post and lighten this thread a bit

'INTERNATIONAL FLAMINGO DAY
We are about to witness the fourth nesting of flamingos in the Torrevieja lagoon. The reproduction of this bird only occurs in 30 places on the planet, which makes the event something exceptional.
Last year, more than 4,000 flamingos were born in the pink lagoon and this year, a couple of a species other than the common flamingo has even been observed. In the world there are 6 species of flamingos, of which 2 are present in our lagoons: the common flamingo and the lesser flamingo.
The celebration of this day aims to spread awareness about these iconic birds and promote the conservation of flamingos around the world in addition to promoting the conservation of wetlands in which they live.'

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:thumbs_up:

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Actually hard to believe that it's April when you see temps like this. Records might be broken down there if it goes up in the next hour or so (current predictions). The 20-24 in Girona province would be coat weather for them..
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...f4c58dcf92.jpg

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We were in Calpe the other day and walked around the salt lake there. There are fewer flamingo's than this time last year.
Most of the ones here are last years fledglings..
The lake is smaller than previous years but they are still expecting large numbers to fly in next month.

Ive just been for a walk out of the village and, while there is water coming down from the mountains through the baranca and flowing along into the trough in the village square. Its a lot slower than previous year.
The Nispero's, which this part of the Costa Blanca is famous for have already been harvested and those that grow wild are smaller than last year.
But they should not be harvesting them yet, they dont really ripen until mid may (so thats another indication of the issues)
Ive also noticed that the Pomegranate bush (tree) has flowers on it which is also early... Doubt that will fruit this year.
The Mulberries in the village are growing slower as well.

There is an Avocado farm just up the road and the owner has been moaning about the irrigation water not reaching him so he has to pay more and has been trucking it in.
I dont think anyone was feeling very sorry for him to be honest....

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Strangely, right down in the South of Spain today it is notably cooler than it has been for the past few weeks, with more cloud cover (but not humid). Very pleasant, and more like normal for the time of year. We have just been sitting alongside our town's main Paseo, 5 weeks ago just before I left for a short visit to the UK the trees had hardly any leaves on, now they are absolutely bursting with them and as green as can be.

I read an article the other day about a young student who was predicting an end to the drought in a few weeks' time, based on his study of how ants behave, of all things. He thinks we are in for a gota fria lasting a few days. it will be interesting to see what comes of it, if anything.

And here is the article

La última predicción de Jorge Rey sobre el fin de la sequía en España y que él ve en las hormigas (lavanguardia.com)

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I wish I knew how to convince the micro ants to leave my kitchen and not (amongst other things) use the water reservoir in my Nespresso machine as a swimming pool!

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That just shows you have modern ants. Used coffee grounds used to be a defacto ant repellant........... must be evolution!

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About the environment protestors that were jailed. They closed the Dartford Bridge for 4 days, causing chaos all around London and Kent. It carries 160000 vehicles a day. It given a slap on the wrist countless others would be doing the same. Society would break down totally if we all did as we saw fit as part of a protest. Rules and laws are there for a reason

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Lynn R - "I wonder how much all these people zooming about the place in their cars in search of entertainment because they can't bear public transport."

Even climate campaigners acknowledge their own failings are due to necessity and no alternative as to why they are not emissions/carbon neutral. No bus where I am either as mentioned above. I'd love to use it, but there isn't one. I certainly don't zoom about in a car looking for entertainment. I try to use mine once a week to do a shop but a car is essential where I am.
Also, wondering regarding your "short visit to the UK" - you went by train?

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People who say "there is no bus where I am" have almost always made the decision to live where they do regardless of the lack of public transport, so it is their choice to have to use their car all the time. I chose where to live in Spain because of the fact that the public transport is good enough for me to get around without a car., and all the amenities I need are within easy walking distance of home. No I did not go to the UK by train - but in the 50 years since I would have been old enough to get a driving licence I have never once driven a car, nor have my husband and I owned one except for a few years in the UK when his employers unilaterally changed his working hours and it was impossible for him to get there by public transport. I commuted by bus, 1.5 hours each way and a lot longer whenever I had to go to London for meetings, which was fairly often. So I don't think my carbon footprint over the years has been particularly high. Whenever we travel within Spain we do so by train and bus (and occasionally taxi if we can't get somewhere in time by public transport).

And I am not one of those always commenting on the imminent "desertification" of parts of Spain. It just strikes me as ironic that so many of those who do are the same people who claim it is so "essential" for them to use their cars even purely for leisure purposes and don't think others can have an enjoyable and fulfilling lifestyle without one.

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You certainly can have an enjoyable and fulfilling lifestyle without a car, no doubt about that. I lived for many years in another European country close to a city centre for work and used public transport and didn't have a car. But - according to your logic of where to live and I choose to live out in the campo in Spain for the peace and quiet, I should have only bought somewhere where there is public transport? Quite restrictive that is in many countries and especially so in Spain.
You also seem dismiss how a car can be needed for mainly essential travel, not just for leisure purposes. Nice if you have a bus stop on the street with a regular service but there are many other factors involved in where to live and some are for some people more important than having public transport within easy walking distance, especially if you don't need to commute to work.
I doubt, especially amongst residents, many often just decide to go out for a drive for leisure purposes as their main use of a car and living not in a town or city or village is one of the attractions of Spain (to me anyway. I'll never live in a city again).

By the way, the car I have is fully electric and charged by solar power. I'm not on the national grid.

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Now that's ironic: People who say "there is no bus where I am" have almost always made the decision to live where they do regardless of the lack of public transport, so it is their choice to have to use their car all the time. And then you say your husband needed a car for work and you spent 1.5 hours commuting which also produces CO2, so why didn't you make the decision to move closer to London?
You also said you have flown to the UK several times in recent years and are constantly flying abroad. You were in Malaga for lunch this week and even said you go every few weeks just for shopping and lunch:confused:. So I really don't know why you started this as I haven't flown in years. I think you have read too much into my comment which was not aimed at you (reply to Ronnyone) and are now frustrated.

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I do indeed go to Malaga every few weeks, always by bus, as I said not having a car does not mean that we are just stuck in one place. I used to travel to the UK twice a year, which I have now cut down to once (unless we have go back unexpectedly for something like a family funeral, which we may have to do shortly). Other than that I am certainly not constantly flying abroad.

Why didn't I move closer to London? Have you ever seen the difference in house prices between Lancashire and anywhere within commuting distance of London? I actually applied for a job (a promotion) at our London HQ but decided not to take it as I would have been worse off. That's why we didn't move closer to my husband's job when his working hours were changed either, the difference between house prices would have been considerable, nor could he have found a similar job closer to where we lived. Getting the car was the lesser of two evils. We didn't have a car before they changed his hours (he, like me, had never owned one) nor have we ever had one since he left that job.

The pandemic may have helped people in similar circumstances a lot, and cut down on CO2 emissions, as there is now widespread acceptance of working from home in many roles, and people are probably not being summoned to largely pointless meetings in London nearly so often.

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Exactly, they have made their decision about where to live, putting other factors like peace and quiet at the top of their list. But it is not an accident that there is no public transport where they live so they are forced to use a car, they have made that choice for whatever reason. I had different priorities and being able to get around by public transport was pretty much at the top of mine, along with easy access to facilities like healthcare.

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Of course I've seen the difference and just showing the argument you make can just be turned around. You jumped onto a comment that had nothing to do with you personally and were trying to make an argument. Yes, I like driving to places here in Ireland and when I'm in Spain I enjoy my holiday, but there's a lot more that contributes to CO2 emissions than 2 people in a car. As I said, at least I planted thousands of wildflowers and planted trees in our garden. Next we can look at how we consume (makeup, food, clothing etc.).

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Cordoba broke the European heat record for April yesterday by an incredible 5C. Very destructive for farming and wildlife in the region.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65403381

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Today is the start of the puente. 6.5 million spanish will take to the roads this afternoon. The majority heading to the south. Each year this number increases. Torrevieja is now saturated each holiday like this- and parking is impossible, Cordoba was 38.5 yesterday. Locusts in Mecca!.!!!. ( You know what that means))

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You post great links Lynn. I love these slightly querky stories about things Spanish. They are a great way to spend 10 minutes improving my Spanish instead of reading stuff translated into English. Everyone can get a bit from these things even if it's just learning stuff like words for Ants, forecast, drought, earth, rain. Keep posting them, please. We live in Spain and should make an effort to learn some of the language and culture.

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"Why didn't I move closer to London? Have you ever seen the difference in house prices between Lancashire and anywhere within commuting distance of London?"

So your husband was unable to get to work using public transport, you bought a car and you chose to stay where you live.
Ten years ago there was a quite regular bus service near where my house is but as with many things, it was ended as it was too expensive to keep running.
I am unable to get to the supermarket/doctor/essential travel using public transport so I bought a car and choose to stay where I live - rather than moving house to somewhere, as with you, which would have been far more expensive.
Can't see the difference.

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The climate has always been fickle & always will be.
I believe in Spain one of the problems of having to adapt to climate change is much more long term. It involves crops. In the wrong place. Strawberries in Huelva are a case in point. They consume huge amounts of water merely to provide all year round fruit. Often tasteless. And of course their fields are close to Donaña.
Farmers with arable land cannot leave it all fallow indefinitely; they have to grow something in order to make a living and to keep the land in good condition. But they are at the mercy of the large supermarkets who control the price. Farmers cannot dictate the price for their produce anymore.
So, they grow crops that may have a subsidy linked to them. Or are a novelty, such as avocados or pistachios. Castilla is the 'breadbasket' of Spain, but it comes at a price; many farmers have to irrigate their cereal crops, something unheard of in Britain. And all for a mere tonne to the hectare. In Britain the average yield is around 4 tonnes per ha.
But what else can Spanish farmers grow? Plant breeders are constantly striving to engineer drought-resistant crops, but it's a very long process, 10 years at least.
The problem needs to go to the top....Brussels. And Ministries of Agriculture ought to be among the most important in any government.

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Spain needs to seriously diversify its economy
The Agricultural state is a throw back to the Franco years where communes were designed to support distinct parts of the population. There are still some of these villages in existence which you can visit. From this they developed into mass Agricultural for exports and this led to the sea of plastic tunnels you see when driving in the south. Climate change might appear fickle to one individual but it is uncontestable now that it is changing and that it is a result of man not nature. The drought this year is going to be the nail in the coffin for spains farmers. The idea that they will drain Doñana to help irrigate farms will not happen as the EU has made it clear that preserving nature trumps economy. PP can peddle is climate- denial position as much as it wants( besides we all no its simply an election tactic to attract VOX voters for May election) but it won't upset Brussels in the long run. What Spain needs to do is invest heavily in new business not rely on tourism and agricultural. Its a lazy system that basically resists change. They need to stop the brain drain and high graduate unemployment for a start and look to more technology based industry. The present system is going to ruin the country

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Thank you, I try to read as much as I can of Spanish news stories and I learn new words every day, when I come across something I don't know the meaning of I look it up and try to memorise it.

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By the way, did you know that a car ferry generates twice as much CO2 emissions per passenger kilometres than a flight?

Train, car or plane? | Travel & climate (travelandclimate.org)

We have trees in our garden too (large mature ones). But we share the garden with 39 other apartments, we don't feel the need for a plot of land for our exclusive use, let alone two of them in separate countries.

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Actually incorrect and if you look it up the Salamanca is also now an LNG-powered ferry. The ferry goes anyway as it's mainly used for freight to deliver you food, but the passenger plane is for passengers and only has very little freight so another flight needed. Well see, I rather share my land with 39 butterflies instead of 39 other families;). Here one of your quotes in other thread, so please stop as I never managed to take 2 trips to the UK + 3 holidays a year

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Wow there are some green eyed monsters on this one, picking on the person who dares to choose where she spends her cash and how she travels.
The empty plane is the same as the empty train or ferry. It’s still going there so you may as well get on it if it’s convenient for you.
I suppose I can be smug for a few moments as I’m on the tram, about to get on a YEGO. I’ve also flown about 22k km this month

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I didn't start it😜.

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I just checked a few facts and offer the following:

The weight of a Boing 737-800 is 41400 kgs. The maximum payload is about 22000kgs, but lets take for argument 150 passengers at an average of 100kg each including luggage, so we say the load being carried is 15000kg and the gross weight of the aircraft is now 56400 kgs.

The weight of the aircraft and it's fuel consumption are pretty much a linear relationship, so, if one person decides to make only one flight a year instead of two, have they really "halved" their carbon footprint? The aircraft would still have flown, probably with just one extra empty seat.
The effect is only about 1/564 of the fuel consumption and probably the same amount in effect on emissions.

Edit: Before anyone accuses me of being a negationist on climate change, no I'm not. The point of my post is that only by cutting down the number of flights will there be any significant change. Individuals can only make such tiny differences they are to all intents and purposes insignificant. So when the world leaders attend climate change conferences in Paris, Bali, Sharm el Sheik and Glasgow using thousands of flights maybe we should just point a finger and say "hypocrites". Take a look at this link which summarises the flights used for Glasgow at Cop26

http://www.scottishairnews.com/cop26-movements.html

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We shan't have to go back to the UK for a funeral as the relative concerned opted for a direct cremation, so there won't be one. That'll keep my carbon footprint for the year a bit lower.