Environmental Risks and Energy Production in Catalonia
Energy Production
Energy is the ability of a system to produce external actions. Any action that results in a change, such as the direct action of sunlight on the atmosphere, creates differences in temperature, giving rise to wind, waves, and rain. Energy sources that come directly from the sun are called wind, hydro, solar thermal, and solar photovoltaic.
Renewable Energy
The main types of renewable energy used in our country are hydroelectric, wind, solar, and biomass. While hydroelectric energy has a long tradition and is well-developed, other types are still in a nascent stage.
Waste Management
The Catalan administration promotes the reduction of the industry’s impact on the territory through the promotion of clean production and waste management. The Waste Board is the body responsible for controlling waste management in Catalonia. Industrial waste is divided into three main categories: hazardous waste, special waste, and inert waste. Urban waste management is ordinarily under the jurisdiction of each municipality. The Catalan administration promotes the reduction of waste through selective collection and recycling. Equipment intended for ordinary municipal waste management includes general and selective collection containers, waste sorting plants, composting plants, and municipal waste treatment plants. Ordinary waste is not subject to specific management by the Government of the Generalitat.
Human Activities and Environmental Risks
Risks are uncertain dangers to which a person or group of people can be exposed. Environmental risks are those that can affect the environment and the health of people who live there. Based on their causes, environmental risks can be divided into natural phenomena (e.g., earthquakes, gales) and anthropological facts associated with how people live in society and transform the environment.
Natural Hazards
Natural hazards have their origin in natural phenomena.
Natural Hazards Related to Weather
- Heavy rainfall: These are not typical of the Mediterranean weather and consist of heavy rain and flooding that may cause torrents, i.e., the overflow of streams, rivers, and the flooding of low points. Storms may bring several problems to the territory and risks for the population, including the flooding of streets and houses, and other diverse dangers.
- Snowfall: These are rainfalls in the form of ice crystals that occur when the air temperature is below or near the freezing point.
- Hail: Precipitation in the form of large pieces of ice. If between 2 mm and 5 mm, it is called sleet, and if larger, it is called hail. Hail can cause great damage and losses to crops.
- Wind Storms: These are intense surges of wind. Temporary winds, strong winds, and tornadoes can cause significant damage and can result in significant risks for people.
Natural Hazards Related to Geological Conditions
- Landslides: Landslides are a pouring outwards due to gravity. They are generally associated with rainfall but can also occur for other reasons, such as earthquakes. Landslides can destroy public works. In Catalonia, the areas with the highest risk of landslides are the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean System.
- Avalanches: These are falling masses of snow along a slope, with variable dimensions and routes. Depending on the weather conditions and slope, the snow can be more or less stable. If the snow mantle becomes unstable, large avalanches can be triggered, cutting roads, destroying vegetation, etc. In Catalonia, the areas most prone to avalanches are in the western Pyrenees.
- Earthquakes: These are shakings of the Earth’s surface in a more or less extensive area, of short duration, caused by the movement of large blocks of land. Depending on their magnitude, they can cause extensive destruction or simply movement.
Anthropic Risks
Anthropic risks have their origin in the activities undertaken by human society. These risks can be divided into three types according to their origin:
- Technological origin: These are related to accidents in work activities, transportation of dangerous goods, industrial activities, water contamination, and nuclear energy production.
- Associated with natural phenomena: These include fires and floods caused by mismanagement of water resources.
- Of diverse origin: These include traffic accidents and deficient building conservation.
The Prevention of Environmental Risks
Prevention of environmental risks is the set of measures adopted to avoid or reduce such risks and mitigate the damage they may cause. To prevent the effects of environmental risks, the government of Catalonia has developed several special plans based on the analysis of specific risks, zoning of the territory according to vulnerability, and planning of actions to minimize the possible effects and damages of each type of risk.
- INUNCAT: This plan deals with flood emergencies and warnings in Catalonia through the organization and a set of operational procedures for the services of the Catalan public administrations and private entities.
- NEUCAT: This plan aims to report snowfalls as far in advance as possible so that appropriate preventive measures can be taken. It provides a structure and organization for dealing with this type of emergency and coordinating available resources to increase efficiency in resolving emergencies.
- SISMICAT: This plan aims to give a quick and efficient response to minimize possible damage to people, property, and the environment, and to ensure the restoration of basic services in the shortest possible time in case of significant seismic events.
- INFOCAT: This plan aims to tackle forest fire emergencies in Catalonia and issue warnings.
- PLASQTA: This plan is intended to prevent or mitigate the consequences in the case of chemical accidents. It sets out the coordination scheme for the authorities and services called to intervene, the human and material resources required to implement them, and the appropriate protection measures.
- TRANSCAT and PENTA: These are other plans related to chemical accidents.