National parks & biodiversity
Spain has a large number of natural parks, reserves, and national parks, among which we can mention
The Picos de Europa National Park (Parc nacional Los Picos de Europa): straddling Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla y León
, it is home to the highest peaks of the Cantabrian mountain range. These mountains with their picturesque landscapes are also classified as Man and Biosphere reserves by UNESCO and protect a remarkable biodiversity, including the Iberian bear and wolf.The Atlantic Islands National Park: off the coast of Galicia
, the Rías Baixas, it protects an archipelago of islands of great beauty. Accessible only by boat, they are home to an exceptional terrestrial and marine biodiversity, and numerous bird colonies. Cortegada has a remarkable laurel forest.The National Marine-Terrestrial Park of the Cabrera Archipelago:
it protects an exceptional marine and terrestrial biodiversity and shelters absolutely magnificent landscapes and environments, such as the very famous Cabrera blue cave. It can be reached by boat and there are many walking routes to discover the archipelago.Doñana National Park: located in Andalusia
, classified as a biosphere reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is home to remarkable wetlands, considered one of the European biodiversity hotspots. It protects one of the rarest cats in Europe, the Spanish lynx. The park is subject to strong anthropic pressures. Its ecosystems are particularly threatened by the intensive monoculture of strawberries. When we know that 25% of these strawberry productions were exported to France in 2006, it can invite us to question our purchases.The Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park :
this Aragonese park is part of the Pyrenees-Mont Perdido entity, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to some of the most picturesque and grandiose landscapes in the Pyrenees.Tablas de Daimiel National Park:
located in the Castilla-La Mancha region, this park protects rare and fragile ecosystems associated with the floodplains of the Cigüela and Guadiana rivers. This biosphere reserve (Unesco) is home to an exceptional biodiversity (including birds), threatened by the excessive pumping of groundwater.Monte Aloya Natural Park:
located in Galicia, this natural area is characterized by its granite geology, its vernacular architecture and its unique mid-mountain landscapes, resulting from reforestation.Somiedo Natural Park:
located in Asturias, it is a protected area classified as a biosphere reserve by Unesco and is characterized by a great geological variety and ecosystems related to mountain lakes and high altitude pastures.The Ebro Delta Natural Park :
located in Catalonia, it protects the very rich and fragile ecosystems of the Ebro Delta. The change in land use (urbanization, agriculture), the fragmentation of environments (construction of transport infrastructures), and pollution contribute to the degradation and disappearance of natural areas and species. Some islands, such as the Balearic Islands, have also had to deal with the introduction of invasive alien species, which has led to the removal of some of these plant species. Mass tourism contributes greatly to these negative impacts. Faced with this situation, municipalities such as that of Formentera, have put in place regulatory constraints in terms of urban planning, to limit construction.Towards a waste prevention policy
The Mediterranean, which constitutes 1% of the world's marine waters, concentrates 7% of plastic pollution (source: WWF). Faced with these challenges, the Balearic Islands have enacted a law in 2019 to reduce waste at source. It commits the territory to a circular economy approach, a pioneer in Spain, associated with quantified objectives. In particular, it bans many single-use plastics containing micro and nano-plastics and water bottles. This law applies to households, but also to the hotel, restaurant and event sector. It is accompanied by awareness-raising and financial incentives. In 2021, the country has introduced a bill to regulate the use of single-use plastic, including a ban on its free distribution and the introduction of an eco-tax. The stated goal is to reduce the production of this type of waste by 70% by 2030. Food waste is also subject to a reduction target.
The limits of the productivist agricultural model
The agricultural model based on industrial monocultures (chemical inputs) induces strong negative externalities, including environmental pollution and soil erosion. This type of agriculture, with its fields of plastic sheeting and greenhouses, alters the landscape, water resources and biodiversity. Irrigation, still poorly regulated, increases the country's water stress. The use of desalination contributes to water pollution by the residues it generates, in addition to the discharge of pesticides and nitrates. The situation of the Mar Menor illustrates the deleterious effects of these activities. Thus, in August 2021, 15 tons of dead fish are removed from the lagoon, victims of eutrophication. In other words, the waters loaded with nitrates promote the formation of algae that suffocate the environment. Deprived of oxygen, the species die. The entire ecosystem of the lagoon - even though it is recognized as a "wetland of international importance" (RAMSAR) - is threatened. In reaction, a human chain of 70,000 people formed along the shoreline as a sign of mourning.
The dependence of this model on fossil fuels and on imports (for example, of corn to feed livestock and of certain cereals for human consumption, such as wheat) should also be mentioned. These crops also consume a lot of water and rely on a very low genetic diversity. All these factors can lead to the threat of food insecurity, in a context of declining biodiversity, climate change and geopolitical tensions. Although the political authorities are still not very committed, initiatives are emerging, with farmers and breeders basing their practices on agroecology.The territory facing climate change
Climate change is already impacting the territory. It is reflected in the multiplication and intensity of extreme phenomena, notably storms, floods, but also droughts and heat waves, and their corollary, fires. Rising temperatures also contribute to the establishment of disease-carrying species, such as mosquitoes. A report by the Spanish Meteorological Agency published in 2019 indicates that 70% of the Spanish population would be impacted by climate change, in a country where scientists also note an increase in the length of summers, of the order of 9 days in 10 years. In the summer of 2018, Galicia was subject to water restrictions, in Vigo, Lugo or Orense. The drought also affected other cities in Castilla y León and Cantabria
, where mayors had to make water cuts. The year 2020 was marked by the storm Gloria, which caused temporary displacement of the population. Without large-scale action to keep global warming below +2°C compared to the pre-industrial era, some territories in the country will no longer guarantee habitable conditions for humans.Another striking example illustrates the situation. It is the Galician village of Arceredo, submerged in 1992 for the construction of the Lindoso dam... which resurfaced in 2021, due to a drop in the water level of the reservoir.
Faced with the climate emergency, mitigation and adaptation actions are being implemented. Following the example of France and other European countries, NGOs took the Spanish government to court in 2020 for climate inaction, particularly for the inadequacy of the targets set and the delay in implementing the actions. A law on climate change and ecological transition was passed in 2021. It includes a ban on the sale of new thermal vehicles by 2040, the abandonment of coal and the development of renewable energy. In 2020, the country closed half of its coal-fired power plants. Some have been replaced in the same regions by solar and wind farms. The country has also pledged to stop subsidizing fossil fuels and to stop exploring for and exploiting them. Among the other transition levers included in the law are the establishment of low-emission zones, energy efficiency in buildings (including thermal renovation), and taking climate risk into account in the financial sectors. The Spanish government's rejection of the extension of Barcelona's El Prat airport, which had provoked strong reactions due in particular to its ecological impact (destruction of wetlands), is perhaps the reflection of a consideration of environmental issues at the highest level.Pontevedra, or the successful experience of the car-free city
This Galician city of over 80,000 inhabitants has banned cars from its city center since 2001. This initiative was born of the will of the mayor, who implemented a transport policy based on the development of active mobility, with investments in accessibility, park-and-ride facilities, and tools such as a "metrominuto" plan that indicates travel times on foot. In addition, the ban on the construction of commercial premises on the outskirts of the city is a factor that favors life and businesses in the city center. This approach has been a success, with 70% of trips made on foot, a renewed quality of life, less noise, less air pollution and a 67% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Slow-travel
Spain is accessible by train and can also be discovered by foot, as many cyclists and hikers do. Pedestrian or cyclist itineraries allow you to discover the country and to meet the inhabitants, combining ecotourism and food that respects the environment and is produced through short and local circuits. We will also invite the traveler to reduce his water and energy consumption, as well as his waste, by actions of reduction at the source (for a zero waste approach: www.zerowastefrance.org), and the choice of products that are not deleterious for the environment (sun creams without chemical filters for example). We can all act, both in our travels and in our daily lives, to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. To measure your carbon footprint and find out what you can do: take the test with the ADEME simulator (https://nosgestesclimat.fr/simulateur/bilan).
