The 12th Environmental Conference shows the way towards a resilient Catalonia in the face of persistent droughts
News
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Divulgation
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Sustainability
(28/05/2024)
Mitigating water scarcity and adapting to it were at the centre of the 12th Environmental Conference, which took place this Monday, 27 May, in the Aula Magna of the University of Barcelona. The meeting, titled “Un present amb menys aigua, què hem de fer per adaptar-nos-hi?” (A present with less water, what should we do to adapt?), was organised by the UB and Familia Torres and brought together experts, activists and politicians to debate on the water crisis and how to manage it to ensure a better future.
News
|
Divulgation
|
Sustainability
28/05/2024
Mitigating water scarcity and adapting to it were at the centre of the 12th Environmental Conference, which took place this Monday, 27 May, in the Aula Magna of the University of Barcelona. The meeting, titled “Un present amb menys aigua, què hem de fer per adaptar-nos-hi?” (A present with less water, what should we do to adapt?), was organised by the UB and Familia Torres and brought together experts, activists and politicians to debate on the water crisis and how to manage it to ensure a better future.
At the inauguration, the secretary for Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia, Anna Barnadas, explained that we are in “the longest and most intense period of drought” in history and that this is directly related to climate change. Despite the seriousness of the situation, “we are still in time to straighten out many dynamics”, she said, pointing out that a drastic reduction in consumption and an increase in the efficient use of this resource are necessary. This message was reiterated by the host of the event and TV3 meteorologist Gemma Puig, who said that it is necessary to be “more sustainable” and “more efficient” to reduce the impact of droughts and that we must continue working to ensure that the situation will improve in the future.
Miguel A. Torres, president of Familia Torres, pointed out that the drought is a consequence of the “one hundred million barrels of oil” that we consume every day. In the Penedès region, approximately 50% of grape production was lost due to the drought, a “severe” situation which is not exceptional. “We can live without oil”, Torres reiterated, reminding us that “important steps” can be taken individually, by changing our lifestyles, using electric cars or reducing consumption of red meat, for example. Ernest Abadal, vice-rector assistant to the rector of the UB, closed the inauguration by praising the Environmental Day for its twelve editions and for the topics it has addressed. “This is a session that wants to change things”, he concluded.
A global problem being tackled at many levels
Elena Domene, PhD in Environmental Sciences, provided a global view of the problem. Changing patterns across the globe means that half of the world’s children are already exposed to high water stress. Economics is also important: the unequal distribution of scarcity leads to more costly measures to obtain water and this makes it difficult for the most vulnerable to pay for it. This is also the case in the global north, where droughts can complicate access to water for people who were previously guaranteed it.
In Catalonia, in the last three years, it has rained half as much and the temperature has been 1ºC higher than the average for the last century, said Jordi Molist, director of water supply at the Catalan Water Agency (ACA). This situation has forced restrictions to be established, and the latest rains have not resolved the situation. Molist recalled that the droughts of the early 2000s promoted “structural changes” such as a reduction in domestic consumption and the implementation of desalination, which have prevented “a situation of total emptying of the reservoirs” and have led to the decision to double the desalination capacity. In this sense, a similar effect has now occurred with reclaimed water: its use has been accepted, which has slowed down the fall in reserves, and there is also a desire to increase its importance.
Miguel A. Torres, president of Familia Torres, pointed out that the drought is a consequence of the “one hundred million barrels of oil” that we consume every day. In the Penedès region, approximately 50% of grape production was lost due to the drought, a “severe” situation which is not exceptional. “We can live without oil”, Torres reiterated, reminding us that “important steps” can be taken individually, by changing our lifestyles, using electric cars or reducing consumption of red meat, for example. Ernest Abadal, vice-rector assistant to the rector of the UB, closed the inauguration by praising the Environmental Day for its twelve editions and for the topics it has addressed. “This is a session that wants to change things”, he concluded.
A global problem being tackled at many levels
Elena Domene, PhD in Environmental Sciences, provided a global view of the problem. Changing patterns across the globe means that half of the world’s children are already exposed to high water stress. Economics is also important: the unequal distribution of scarcity leads to more costly measures to obtain water and this makes it difficult for the most vulnerable to pay for it. This is also the case in the global north, where droughts can complicate access to water for people who were previously guaranteed it.
In Catalonia, in the last three years, it has rained half as much and the temperature has been 1ºC higher than the average for the last century, said Jordi Molist, director of water supply at the Catalan Water Agency (ACA). This situation has forced restrictions to be established, and the latest rains have not resolved the situation. Molist recalled that the droughts of the early 2000s promoted “structural changes” such as a reduction in domestic consumption and the implementation of desalination, which have prevented “a situation of total emptying of the reservoirs” and have led to the decision to double the desalination capacity. In this sense, a similar effect has now occurred with reclaimed water: its use has been accepted, which has slowed down the fall in reserves, and there is also a desire to increase its importance.
Organised by the UB and the Familia Torres winery, it brought together a dozen experts who explained the situation and proposed mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Another key element, Molist noted, is efficiency in distribution. Elisenda Realp, from the Barcelona Provincial Council’s Climate Action and Energy Transition Department, and Braulio Moreno, manager of SABEMSA, the public water company of Barberà del Vallès, also stressed this aspect. There are leaks in many places, with losses that can reach 40%. The municipalities are therefore working to solve the problem, with more than 1,200 planned actions and an investment of almost 130 million euros.
Thus, with “more ambition” it is possible to optimise yields and achieve “water independence”. Moreno presented the case of his town, where for the last ten years only 5-7% of water has been lost. This is the result of forty years of efforts to supply as much of the population as possible with its own resources, reinvesting the profits in renovating and improving the network and minimising losses from pipes which, as Realp reminded us, are often still made of fibre cement.
A distant example with many similarities
Karla A. Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources, has put the water problem into perspective. In a video, she explained how three consecutive years of drought have ended with three weeks of heavy rainfall. A clear example of the effects of climate change and the challenge they pose. The only way out of this crisis is with new solutions, efficiency and collaboration. These are “very complex” challenges that make it necessary to work against the clock in a climatic situation that is very similar to that of Catalonia. For this reason, Nemeth said that innovation and technology are essential, not only adapting, but also optimising weather forecasting to know where and when there will be water. This is why large investments have been made in this area.
Beyond citizens: adapting the economy
However, the adaptation of the network and the reduction and optimisation of citizens’ water use cannot mitigate this problem if economic actors do not do their part. For this reason, the Environmental Conference included representatives from the agricultural and tourism sectors. Thus, Jordi Puig, a PhD in Environmental Sciences and farmer, acknowledged the complexity of tackling the problem from the point of view of the country’s “main water consumers”. Agriculture must adapt to climate change and reduce water demand while maintaining economic sustainability. Following the principles of regenerative agriculture, he proposed measures such as plant cover, minimum tillage, agroforestry, intercropping and the application of organic matter and micronutrients to the soil to restore its health and make agriculture as efficient as possible with the minimum environmental impact.
Another sector that has been in the eye of the storm during this drought has been tourism. As a member of the Catalan Federation of Campsites, Josep M. Pla recalled that his sector represents almost half of the country’s tourist offer and that, between 1999 and 2023, consumption per family per day in Catalan campsites fell by more than 40%. However, he acknowledged that this is not enough and that more measures are being taken: digitalisation of consumption to optimise it, training and awareness-raising for staff, customers and suppliers, preventive maintenance of facilities, reuse of water from swimming pools for sanitary purposes, etc.
Long-term planning and the defence of people’s rights
The round table “Nova visió de futur de l’aigua” (New vision of the future of water) had a major point of agreement: the need for a long-term planning framework that considers science, demographics, economic sectors… Marc Oliva, an engineer from the Intercollegiate Water Observatory, pointed out that in the future there will be more population and less water. Núria Catalán, environmentalist and researcher at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), pointed out the need for a water transition to rethink the model. M. Teresa Vadrí, lecturer at the UB specialising in environmental law, and Dante Maschio, spokesperson for the platform Aigua es Vida, also agreed, pointing out that water should be a common good and not a business, and that coordinated public planning is needed that separates demand forecasts from specific economic interests.
German climate activist Luisa Neubauer intervened immediately afterwards with a speech that complemented what had just been said. When we talk about the climate emergency, “it is essential”, she said, that we talk about democracy. The reason is very simple: “those who are against it are the same people: the anti-democrats, the fascists, the deniers, the sceptics”. These two struggles, he said, are the same and are “our duty”. To protect democracy, he reiterated, is to protect climate action and a future for all.
12th Environmental Conference: “Un present amb menys aigua, què hem de fer per adaptar-nos-hi?” | UBtv
Thus, with “more ambition” it is possible to optimise yields and achieve “water independence”. Moreno presented the case of his town, where for the last ten years only 5-7% of water has been lost. This is the result of forty years of efforts to supply as much of the population as possible with its own resources, reinvesting the profits in renovating and improving the network and minimising losses from pipes which, as Realp reminded us, are often still made of fibre cement.
A distant example with many similarities
Karla A. Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources, has put the water problem into perspective. In a video, she explained how three consecutive years of drought have ended with three weeks of heavy rainfall. A clear example of the effects of climate change and the challenge they pose. The only way out of this crisis is with new solutions, efficiency and collaboration. These are “very complex” challenges that make it necessary to work against the clock in a climatic situation that is very similar to that of Catalonia. For this reason, Nemeth said that innovation and technology are essential, not only adapting, but also optimising weather forecasting to know where and when there will be water. This is why large investments have been made in this area.
Beyond citizens: adapting the economy
However, the adaptation of the network and the reduction and optimisation of citizens’ water use cannot mitigate this problem if economic actors do not do their part. For this reason, the Environmental Conference included representatives from the agricultural and tourism sectors. Thus, Jordi Puig, a PhD in Environmental Sciences and farmer, acknowledged the complexity of tackling the problem from the point of view of the country’s “main water consumers”. Agriculture must adapt to climate change and reduce water demand while maintaining economic sustainability. Following the principles of regenerative agriculture, he proposed measures such as plant cover, minimum tillage, agroforestry, intercropping and the application of organic matter and micronutrients to the soil to restore its health and make agriculture as efficient as possible with the minimum environmental impact.
Another sector that has been in the eye of the storm during this drought has been tourism. As a member of the Catalan Federation of Campsites, Josep M. Pla recalled that his sector represents almost half of the country’s tourist offer and that, between 1999 and 2023, consumption per family per day in Catalan campsites fell by more than 40%. However, he acknowledged that this is not enough and that more measures are being taken: digitalisation of consumption to optimise it, training and awareness-raising for staff, customers and suppliers, preventive maintenance of facilities, reuse of water from swimming pools for sanitary purposes, etc.
Long-term planning and the defence of people’s rights
The round table “Nova visió de futur de l’aigua” (New vision of the future of water) had a major point of agreement: the need for a long-term planning framework that considers science, demographics, economic sectors… Marc Oliva, an engineer from the Intercollegiate Water Observatory, pointed out that in the future there will be more population and less water. Núria Catalán, environmentalist and researcher at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), pointed out the need for a water transition to rethink the model. M. Teresa Vadrí, lecturer at the UB specialising in environmental law, and Dante Maschio, spokesperson for the platform Aigua es Vida, also agreed, pointing out that water should be a common good and not a business, and that coordinated public planning is needed that separates demand forecasts from specific economic interests.
German climate activist Luisa Neubauer intervened immediately afterwards with a speech that complemented what had just been said. When we talk about the climate emergency, “it is essential”, she said, that we talk about democracy. The reason is very simple: “those who are against it are the same people: the anti-democrats, the fascists, the deniers, the sceptics”. These two struggles, he said, are the same and are “our duty”. To protect democracy, he reiterated, is to protect climate action and a future for all.
12th Environmental Conference: “Un present amb menys aigua, què hem de fer per adaptar-nos-hi?” | UBtv
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