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CLIMATE CRISIS

EXPLAINED: What is Spain’s newly activated health plan for extreme heatwaves?

Spain’s Ministry of Health has activated a plan to help combat heat-related illnesses in the case of extreme temperatures that the country could be facing this summer.

EXPLAINED: What is Spain's newly activated health plan for extreme heatwaves?
Spanish Ministry of Health to activate plan to combat affects of extreme heatwaves. Photo: JORGE GUERRERO / AFP

The National Preventive Action Plan for the Effects of Excess Temperatures on Health has been activated from Monday, May 15th and will stay in force until September 30th. 

Its main objective is to prevent and mitigate the negative effects that excessive heat can have on the health of Spanish citizens. It will particularly focus on the most vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, pregnant women, minors and people with chronic diseases, as well as those who work outdoors.  

READ ALSO: Mainland Spain breaks record temperature for April

It is the second consecutive year that a plan has been brought forward since it was launched in 2004. The plan was usually activated from June 1st, but because of the abnormally hot April, from now on, and in general, it will last from May 15th to September 30th, although with the possibility of delaying it by 15 days to October 15th, as the Spanish summer is starting earlier and each year and lasting longer too.  

Mainland Spain recorded its hottest-ever temperature for April recently, hitting 38.8C in Córdoba. 

One of the main priorities of the plan, according to the ministry, is to alert the health authorities and the public in advance of possible risk situations.

To do this, the Ministry of Health will provide each region with the maximum temperature predictions prepared by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) on a daily basis, as well as levels of health risk due to the heat.

READ ALSO: Spain to spend €2 billion to tackle drought

The plan will take into account the following meteorological variables: the maximum temperatures forecast for three days, the maximum and minimum temperatures recorded the day before the forecast date, and the maximum threshold temperatures based on epidemiological studies.

In addition, high temperatures that persist over a long period of time will also be considered a risk factor. 

The above factors will all decide on the risk level of each region which will be allocated level 0 (green), low-risk level 1 (yellow), medium-risk level 2 (orange) and high-risk level 3 (red).

To minimise the damage, the Ministry of Health has put together a list of recommendations for citizens. These include:

  • Drinking fluids frequently, even if you don’t feel thirsty and regardless of the physical activity you do.
  • Avoiding caffeinated, alcoholic or highly sugary drinks, as they can promote dehydration.
  • Anyone who is at risk of suffering from a heat-related problem should be paid special attention. This includes babies, children, pregnant or lactating women, as well as the elderly or those with illnesses that can be aggravated by heat (such as heart, kidney, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cancer, pathologies that hinder mobility, dementia and other mental illnesses, as well as drug or alcohol abuse).
  • Staying as long as possible in cool, shaded places.

Various regions in Spain have also been putting their own measures in place, coinciding with the abnormally hot April. Catalonia started to put some measures in place on April 27th, while Andalusia, did the same during Seville’s annual Feria de Abril.

READ ALSO: The water restrictions you can expect in Spain this summer

Madrid has also been contemplating changing the opening hours of educational centers and specific monitoring of air conditioning controls in social and healthcare facilities. The city opened the first of its first outdoor swimming pools on Friday, May 12th. Extremadura has also implemented its own plan on May 15th.  

In addition to this plan, the Ministry of Social Rights is working on the implementation of a “climate shield” with measures for residences and other centres that protect the most vulnerable people from extreme heat situations, such as the elderly and those with certain illnesses.

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CLIMATE CRISIS

The parts of Málaga most affected by rising sea levels

Spanish climate experts have warned of a significant rise in sea level in several municipalities within the province of Málaga, including the Vélez-Málaga and Guadalmar areas.

The parts of Málaga most affected by rising sea levels

According to a recent report in the Official State Bulletin (BOE), sea level rises will be expected across the Andalusian province, but the areas around Vélez-Málaga and Guadalmar will be subject to severe increases by 2070. 

This comes after an April report by NASA found that sea levels have risen by five centimetres in Málaga province in the last three years and will rise by 50 centimetres by 2090.

The local government has already initiated several actions to try and alleviate the situation in Málaga and mitigate intense flooding.

According to expert predictions and government studies carried out between 1957 and 2022, coastal erosion has already begun and in the future, the coastline will begin where urbanisations, beach bars and restaurants currently stand.

This includes the hotel Parador del Campo de Golf de Málaga, as well as a wastewater pumping station.

Projected sea level increase in Málaga province in the next decades. Graph: NASA

The areas previously declared as flood-prone have also been updated and modified according to new data available.

READ ALSO: The Spanish cities that will be most affected by rising sea levels

The municipality of Vélez-Málaga, capital of the Axarquía region of quaint white villages, will be one of the worst-affected places, particularly around Torre del Mar and Caleta de Vélez.

Experts say that this problem has been going on for decades and will only get worse. Since 1957, the municipality has lost a total of 222,107 square metres of sand, due to the increase in storms derived from climate change.

From 2020, with a peak in 2022, the area also experienced an extreme drought, meaning that contributions of river sediments on the beaches are almost non-existent. If this trend continues, and if conditions do not change, it’s estimated that in 10 and 20 years, the stretch of coast on the left bank of the Vélez River will experience the greatest regression, with a maximum of 40 metres at 10 years and 70 metres at 20 years.

READ ALSO: Why are Barcelona’s beaches disappearing?

In Guadalmar, the coastline is expected to advance between 80 and 226 metres, due to the increase in sea level by 31 centimetres, according to a study carried out by Tragsatec, a public engineering group. As a consequence, researchers say that the waves are changing and more storms are eroding the beaches.

A significant portion of this coastline has already been lost to the sea this century, but since 2016 the regression of the coast has been even greater. In total, 223,495 square metres of beach have been lost in almost 70 years.

It is estimated that, if conditions do not change, in 10 to 20 years, the stretch of coast between San Julián beach and the golf course will see the greatest regression.

READ ALSO – MAP: The parts of Spain that are most and least affected by global warming

In order to deal with this issue, the Coastal Regulation has declared that no new title of occupation in the maritime-terrestrial public domain may be granted on land deemed to be at serious risk.

Existing constructions will be maintained as long as the sea does not reach them or there is a risk that it will. On land declared to be in a situation of serious regression, the government may carry out protection, conservation or restoration. For this, it may impose a special tax on people who benefit from these works.

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