Regions of Spain recently experienced a year's worth of rainfall in a matter of hours. Now, climate experts are sounding the alarm that similar unprecedented weather events could become common in the Mediterranean because of planetary warming.
What's happening?
Back in October, torrential rains flooded southern and eastern Spain, killing citizens and destroying bridges, roadways, and homes. The Guardian reported that residents of Chiva, a small town on the outskirts of Valencia, experienced a year's worth of rain in hours.
Scientists say the devastating weather event is a sign of climate instability because of rising global temperatures. Experts tell the Guardian that dirty energy sources like gas, oil, and coal are especially to blame for both catastrophic rainfall and droughts in the region, calling them "two sides of the same climate change coin."
Why is Spain's torrential rains important to understand?
In an in-depth analysis by the Guardian, the outlet explains that dirty energy sources play a role in "warping" the water cycle to cause unprecedented rains and drought.
Stefano Materia, an Italian climate scientist at Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, told the Guardian that studies have linked extreme weather in the Mediterranean with changes in atmospheric circulation and rising global temperatures.
"That means more energy, more water vapor, more instability — all ingredients fueling terrifying storms when atmospheric conditions are favorable," he said. "The Mediterranean Sea is a time bomb these days."
The impact is felt in much of the Mediterranean, with Portugal, Italy, and Greece also experiencing similar extremes in weather. Droughts and lack of rain can trigger wildfires, causing devastating destruction and choking smoke. Dry conditions also kill crops, leaving farmers with less yield. This has devastating impacts on farmer livelihoods, the local economy, and the food supply. And the list goes on.
Heat-related deaths in the region are also on the rise. The Guardian cited a recent study from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health that found there were 68,000 heat-related deaths in Europe during the summer of 2022. That's 10 times greater than the number of people murdered in Europe that same year, according to the Guardian.
What's being done about catastrophic weather in the Mediterranean?
Climate experts told the Guardian that recent floods in Spain are a sign to reduce planet-warming pollution. Much of this climate action, however, needs to be directed toward large corporations through lawmaking. Harvard Political Review reported that only 100 investors and state-owned dirty energy companies are responsible for around 70% of the world's planet-warming pollution.
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But individual action and advocacy can (and do) help spur climate action and curb planetary warming. There are countless ways to improve your life while helping the planet, including taking public transit instead of cars, composting your waste, and upgrading your home with more energy-efficient appliances.
Even with climate action, we've done enough damage to the planet to make drastic weather a sobering reality for years to come. To cope, scientists say there needs to be a global effort to improve early-warning systems and rapid response plans in reaction to extreme weather.
"The tragic consequences of this event show that we have a long way to go," Liz Stephens, a climate risk scientist at the University of Reading, told the Guardian. "People shouldn't be dying from these kinds of forecasted weather events in countries where they have the resources to do better."
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