Spain faced new warnings for extreme weather this week, just a fortnight after floods devastated Valencia.
Parts of Spain woke up to new warnings of dangerous floods on Thursday, just weeks after the devastation hit. driving rain They will kill more 200 people in Valencia.
Following the decision of the State Meteorological Agency, thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in southern Spain. AEMETbring nine communities together red or orange warning due to severe storms and heavy downpours. Affected notifications Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and parts of Valencia and Andalusia.
The warning came two weeks after at least 220 people died in Valencia in Spain’s worst floods in decades, and just days after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez brought the tragedy to the world stage during a speech. COP29.
meteorological event CALFFortunately, the rainfall that caused the showers is not that heavy this time. But these repeated over-the-top warnings are increasing pressure on world leaders to halt planet-warming emissions at the UN climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Sánchez was certainly not alone. Countries from every corner of the planet took advantage of the summit to report extreme weather events that devastated their homes. From drought to hurricanes to deadly floods, many of these have occurred in the last 12 months. According to the UN Secretary General, Antonio GuterresThe year 2024 has been a “master class in climate destruction.”
Pedro Sánchez takes Valencia tragedy to COP29
On behalf of the president of Spain Pedro SánchezThere is no doubt that what happened in Valencia at the end of October was a harsh reminder of what was at stake.
“I came here to tell you this: Climate change is killing and killed in Valencia To our 220 citizens “Mine,” he told world leaders gathered in Baku on Tuesday. He talked about hundreds of people in his speech. houses covered with mud and I regret most of it personalities they would continue missing After the catastrophic meteorological event.
At a time when all countries are facing the impacts of climate change, from more severe storms to intense wildfires, he said. “drastic measures”. Sánchez added that cities must rebuild to withstand the worst to come.
“Some still doubt the scientific evidence of climate change,” the Spanish president said at COP29. “Let’s not delay the issue. We have seen governments hesitate and step back just to make the rich richer. This formula is leading us to disaster.”
Sánchez is not the only leader addressing the floods in Spain at the UN climate conference. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic this year alone devastating flood The devastating effect of rising temperatures in Europe was seen in the south of Spain, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. “Urgent measures need to be taken in the Mediterranean, which is one of the most vulnerable regions.”he added.
A wake-up call from Spain against global warming
Sánchez is back Valencia At the end of his speech, he said that the only thing as important as helping the victims of the Valencia tragedy is preventing this tragedy from happening again.
meteorological events CALF They occur when an area of low pressure is isolated from the main flow of the jet stream. This leaves them stuck in one area, causing it to rain for several days. The storm intensifies when the cold air from the upper layers of the atmosphere meets the warm air from the Mediterranean.
Although these events are not unusual on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, experts claim that climate change is playing a role in the intensification of torrential rains. A quick analysis of what was happening in Valencia by scientists from World Weather Attribution concluded: climate change did rains there was 12% denser and twice as likely.
This constitutes a strong message to the world about the consequences of global warming, Celeste Saulo, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, said at COP29 on Monday.
“The incredible amount of rain in Spain was a wake-up call about how much more water a warmer atmosphere can hold,” he said, warning that every degree of warming counts when it comes to increasing climate extremes, their effects and impacts. .
ADVERTSaulo told Euronews he did not believe people were prepared for such events. “There is a formidable challenge in how to develop protocols that allow people to prepare and respond appropriately to the intensity of the events we face.”
with The world is heading towards 3.1°C warming this centuryUnless more assertive steps are taken by world governments, this is a stark reminder of why the outcome of these talks matters so much, even as international divisions deepen in Baku.
