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Date Published: 12/07/2024

Climate crisis: These are the areas of Spain that will be uninhabitable by 2050

Spain’s future looks uncertain with global warming expected to scorch several major regions

As the world races towards the target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, a recent NASA study reveals a concerning prediction. According to their research, some areas of the planet may become uninhabitable due to soaring temperatures, and several popular parts of Spain are running the gauntlet.

‘The future we don’t want’ report identifies regions in South Asia, the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea as the most vulnerable to extreme heat. This is based on the assumed temperature limit of 35ºC for six consecutive hours, after which time humans cannot regulate their own body temperatures.

By 2050, these areas are all expected to reach that maximum threshold, while places like Brazil, eastern China, and parts of Southeast Asia may reach this point by 2070.

Moving closer to home, while Spain is not as humid as the tropical areas mentioned, certain regions may still be significantly impacted.

Major holiday hubs such as Andalucía, Madrid and Valencia could easily experience temperatures of 35ºC or higher for three consecutive months by 2050, according to the report. This prolonged heatwave would have significant implications for residents and the local ecosystem, not to mention Spain’s vital tourist trade.

Extreme levels of heat stress – the amount of heat that people absorb and accumulate in their bodies through exposure to environmental conditions, physical activity and clothing - have doubled over the past 40 years, according to Colin Raymond of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and lead author of the study.

Similarly, Mr Raymond assures that this upward trend is likely to continue in the coming years and, through the thermal index called “wet bulb”, he has indicated the maximum temperature that a human body can withstand.

“It is the lowest temperature to which an object can cool down when moisture evaporates. The lower the wet bulb temperature, the easier it is for us to cool ourselves. It measures our body’s ability to cool itself by sweating when it’s hot and humid, and tells us whether conditions may be harmful to our health or even fatal,” he explained.

It’s frightening to think that this value, 35ºC for six hours, has already been recorded several times since 2005, but only for short periods of time in subtropical areas such as Pakistan and the Persian Gulf.

Find all the latest weather and climate change news here or join our Spain Weather Watch Facebook group for regular updates

Image: NASA

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