Natural Hazards and Environmental Challenges in Spain
Nature and the Environment in Spain
Natural Hazards
Geological Hazards
Earthquakes
Earth tremors in Spain are due to the peninsula’s location at the edge of the African and Eurasian plates. This subduction zone makes the South and Southeast the areas with the highest seismic risk.
Volcanic Eruptions
The Canary Islands are the only area with currently active volcanoes in Spain.
Slope Movements
These are rapid movements of large masses of earth and rocks down a slope. They are characteristic of humid regions with steep slopes covered with grass or vegetation that doesn’t adequately bind the soil, especially when saturated by rainwater. They also occur on slopes where material breakage at the top leads to rockfalls.
Climate-Related Hazards
Floods
Floods are caused by heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or overflowing rivers after periods of drought.
Corrective Measures for Natural Hazards
Infrastructure such as drainage systems and retaining walls can mitigate risks. Reforestation, especially along riverbanks and watersheds, is also crucial.
Atmospheric Pollution and Climate Change
Primary Pollutants
These pollutants are directly released into the atmosphere and include CO, CO2, SO2, NO, and Cl2. They primarily originate from the combustion of fuel oil and coal in power plants, vehicle emissions, and industrial activities.
Secondary Pollutants
These are generated by chemical and photochemical reactions of primary pollutants.
Acid Rain
Acid rain, with higher acidity than normal, occurs when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen emissions mix with atmospheric water vapor, forming dilute solutions of sulfuric and nitric acid. When this falls to the earth’s surface, it impacts vegetation. In Spain, affected areas include forests in Galicia and the Iberian System, primarily due to thermal power stations.
Ozone Layer Depletion
Spain has seen an increase in skin cancers and cataracts due to ozone layer depletion. Despite some recovery, ozone reduction in the upper atmosphere remains around 8% and is expected to worsen. Spain adheres to the Montreal Protocol, which prohibits the production, marketing, and use of CFCs except for critical uses.
Dust and Smog
Dust and pollution can accumulate in large cities during anticyclonic conditions, which reduce air movement. This is common in Mediterranean cities and large urban areas like Madrid, Valladolid, and Zaragoza.
Noise Pollution
Noise pollution significantly degrades the environment and affects quality of life, especially in large cities. Three-quarters of Spain’s urban population experience noise levels above tolerable limits, mainly due to traffic, industrial activities, and leisure. Health consequences include headaches, fatigue, hearing loss, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Legislation is being developed to regulate permissible noise levels.
Deforestation
Causes of Deforestation
Agriculture and Livestock
Traditional agricultural and livestock practices have historically contributed to deforestation, reducing natural vegetation to small sectors.
Urban and Industrial Development
Since the 19th century, urban and industrial expansion has encroached on natural vegetation.
Wildfires
Wildfires, often occurring in summer due to high temperatures, affect large areas of Spain. The abandonment of traditional agricultural practices, which helped control undergrowth, and reforestation with fast-growing, flammable species like conifers and eucalyptus have exacerbated the problem. Galicia and Castilla-Leon are particularly affected.
Soil Pollution, Desertification, and Erosion
Soil Contamination
Industrial and urban discharges, along with excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, contaminate the soil.
Erosion
Erosion is a natural phenomenon linked to steep slopes and torrential rainfall, particularly in certain areas of Spain. However, human activities also contribute to erosion.
Deforestation
Logging and fires remove vegetation that binds the soil and retains rainwater.
Overgrazing
Especially in dry climates like the Mediterranean, overgrazing intensifies erosion.
Inappropriate Agricultural Practices
Practices such as insufficient fallow periods or farming on steep slopes without proper measures worsen erosion. This is a serious problem, especially in semi-arid areas. 57% of Spain faces alarming soil loss.
Desertification
Desertification, the loss of fertile topsoil due to extreme erosion, affects nearly 1 million hectares in Spain, with another 7 million at risk. The Guadalquivir Basin, Southeast, Valencia region, New Castile, and Extremadura are the most affected.
Water Overexploitation and Contamination
Overexploitation
Increased water consumption for agriculture, urban areas, and industries has led to the construction of dams, canals, diversions, and wells. These interventions have altered river courses and overexploited aquifers, leading to the desiccation of wetlands like the Daimiel Tables National Park. Over-extraction of coastal aquifers has caused seawater intrusion and salinization, particularly along the Mediterranean coast.
Water Pollution
Water pollution stems from human waste, including domestic, industrial, and agricultural sources.
Rural Pollution
Inadequate cleaning of stables and excessive fertilizer and pesticide use contaminate water. Fertilizers in water bodies cause algal blooms and eutrophication, particularly in inland areas.
Industrial Pollution
Industrial waste can cause harmful algal blooms and introduce heavy metals into the aquatic food chain. Oil spills, accidental or intentional, also pollute waters. In Spain, industrial pollution affects areas like the Nervion River and the Galician coast.
Urban Pollution
Untreated sewage, phosphates, and nitrates from detergents contribute to urban water pollution. Uncontrolled landfills can also contaminate water, especially groundwater, if not properly sealed. Wastewater treatment is mandatory for municipalities with over 5,000 inhabitants.
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
Many MSW components are not biodegradable. The proliferation of uncontrolled landfills in Spain contaminates aquifers and soil. Landfills, while less polluting than open dumps, still pose environmental risks. Differential waste collection and recycling are becoming more widespread.
Protected Areas
History of Environmental Protection
Growing environmental concern in Spain since the 1960s led to the creation of ICON (Institute for Conservation of Nature) in 1971. However, significant progress in environmental policy coincided with the first democratic governments. The earliest protected areas date back to the early 20th century with the National Parks Act of 1916, aimed at preserving areas of natural beauty. Picos de Europa and Ordesa-Monte Perdido are among the oldest national parks.
Types of Protected Areas
Parks
These areas of high ecological value are relatively untouched by human activity. A portion is dedicated to comprehensive preservation, prohibiting any human intervention. National and natural parks are managed by autonomous communities, following the PORN (Plan for Natural Resource Management), which outlines permitted activities.
National Parks
These large parks possess distinctive geological, hydrological, vegetation, and faunal features. They represent samples of Spanish ecosystems (e.g., Doñana, Picos de Europa, Ordesa and Monte Perdido, Aigües Tortes, Daimiel Tables, Cabañeros, Timanfaya).
Natural Parks
Smaller than national parks, they are managed by the autonomous communities (e.g., Ruidera Lakes, Alto Tajo).