Presentation of the Third Report on Climate Change in Catalonia
On Monday 30, the Catalan Government presented the Third Report on Climate Change in Catalonia (TICCC), coordinated by Professor Javier Martín Vide, director of the Water Research Institute of the University of Barcelona.
On Monday 30, the Catalan Government presented the Third Report on Climate Change in Catalonia (TICCC), coordinated by Professor Javier Martín Vide, director of the Water Research Institute of the University of Barcelona.
The report gathers a large collection of scientific research on this existing subject in Catalonia, resulting from the participation of 140 authors and 40 revisers from the main Catalan universities and research centres. TICCC aims to share a rigorous knowledge transfer with a strong scientific base -with the people in charge of decision making.
The document describes the main facts of the climate change in Catalonia and creates strategic suggestions, made by the authors of the different chapters, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt natural and human systems to the effects of climate change.
The information is divided into different chapters with the participation of UB researchers. Chapter 4 talks about the recent evolution of temperature, precipitations and other climate variations in Catalonia, and is coordinated by Javier Martín-Vide; chapter 6 is about risks with climate roots, led by M. Carme Llasat, professor from the Department of Applied Physics; chapter 10 focuses on continental aquatic ecosystems and has the participation of the team of the Faculty of Biology made by the researchers Francesc Sabater, Andrea Butturini, Isabel Muñoz, Marisol Felip and Margarita Menéndez; chapter 11 is about marine and coastal ecosystems and is led by Joandomènec Ros, Emeritus Professor of Ecology; chapter 12 is about soils and has the participation of M. Belén Gómez, from the Faculty of Geography and History. The report ends with a juridical epilogue: From Kyoto to Paris (CP21), coordinated by Mar Campins, Professor of International Public Law, from the Faculty of Law.
The evolution of climate change and its effects on our country
The main conclusions gathered in TICCC point out that Catalonia will undergo a temperature rise of 0,80ºC during this decade and 1,4º in 2050 (in relation to the average data during 1971-2000), and a possible decrease of rain in mid-21st century.
Also, all climate situations point to a rise of extreme temperatures, heatwaves, as well as tropical nights, warm nights and days, and longer dry periods.
Regarding the ecosystems, these could receive an impact on their capacity of resilience, functioning and structures, affecting the prediction of services they offer and which are essential for the functioning of the Catalan economy and society.
The report notes important impacts on the coastal areas due a sea level rise (4cm/decade) and highlights how the air temperature rise, the progressive reduction of rains, together with its irregularity, are worrying elements which directly affect the Catalan agricultural system.
This document is an example of the regionalization of analysis and projections on global warming at a global and European scale, by institutions such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) or the European Environment Agency. Catalonia was pioneer in this regionalization effort in 2005, with the promotion of the First Report on Climate Change in Catalonia (its second edition was published in 2010).