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Date Published: 26/07/2024

Spain's disappearing beaches: A race against time

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According to a Greenpeace report, there is no Spanish coastal region that is not at risk

Spain's disappearing beaches: A race against time

A recent Greenpeace report has sounded the alarm for Spain's most prized resource, its beaches, revealing that dozens are at risk of vanishing within the next decade due to a combination of human activities and the relentless march of climate change.

According to the grim study, there is not a single Spanish coastal region that is safe from these threats, and the impacts are expected to be severe and far-reaching.

The analysis highlights excessive urban sprawl, infrastructure development and pollution as key factors that have deformed Spain's once-pristine coastline.

The construction of artificial barriers, the diversion of river channels and the unchecked influx of tourists in cities like Barcelona, Palma and Valencia have all contributed to the problem.

Climate change adds another layer of complexity, with rising sea levels, more frequent and intense extreme weather events and warming seas all taking their toll.

By 2030, cities like Vigo, Cádiz, Bilbao and Las Palmas are projected to lose more than 40 metres of coastline, while Barcelona could see up to 70 metres of its beloved beaches washed away. The report also identifies vulnerable areas such as the Bay of Biscay, the Balearic Islands and cities like Palma and Cartagena, where thousands of homes are located in flood-prone areas.

Some of the most at-risk Spanish coastlines, according to Greenpeace, include:

Andalucía: Urban development plans in Tarifa (Cádiz) and hotels on the beaches of El Algarrobico and Bahia de los Genoveses (Almeria) are some of the biggest risk factors. NASA also predicts that the Gulf of Cádiz coastline will be severely impacted by climate change.

Balearic Islands: The region faces a dual challenge of a significant tourist influx, which has driven up housing prices in Palma de Mallorca, and the impacts of marine heatwaves, which have led to alarmingly low oxygen levels in the water.

Canary Islands: Pollution, unauthorised dumping sites, intense tourist pressure and projected beach surface loss between 48% and 80% make the Canary Islands particularly vulnerable.

Catalonia: The development of tourism in hotspots like Barcelona has severely impacted the Catalan coast. Additionally, 15% of the built-up area is in a flood zone, and stretches of the coast are in poor condition due to artificial barriers and erosion.

Valencian Community: Greenpeace highlights that 64.8% of beaches along the Valencian coast have shrunk in size over the last decade due to excessive urbanisation and artificial barriers. The increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events further exacerbates the situation.

Region of Murcia: While Murcia is one of the best-preserved areas of the Mediterranean, it also faces significant environmental challenges, such as the deterioration of Mar Menor. Large stretches of its coastline are threatened by rising sea levels and erosion.

To address these issues, Greenpeace proposes a range of essential measures, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, implementing regulations for adaptation and coastal protection, tackling pollution, limiting tourist accommodation, reviewing maritime-terrestrial public domain boundaries, freeing flood zones from construction and restoring the natural channels of rivers.

Also of interest: “We Love You”—Mallorca residents share the love amid anti-tourism protests

Image: Archive

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