Will there soon be no winter in Spain?

IT is no secret that Spain is unusually hot coming into this winter season in 2023, with many still on the beach in November! However, will the ‘cold season’ of Spain soon be completely gone and a thing of the past? 

Global warming has been warning the world for quite some time that the human race needs to make a dramatic change in their treatment of the Earth, with many environmentalists dedicating their lives to spreading the word. Unfortunately, our planet continues to heat up, and the effects can be felt already worldwide. From melting ice caps endangering the polar bears to heat waves and wildfires, it seems the day we were warned about may be upon us.

According to Greenpeace España, ‘the rate of warming in most parts of Spain will continue to be faster than the global average. For example, for every additional degree of global warming, the regional response will be up to 1.5°C with more pronounced changes expected for the inland parts of the country’. 

What does this mean practically for the Spanish peninsula? Basically that it will get hotter, drier and more flammable. According to data issued by the Junta de Andalucia, nearly 600 wildfires raged through the region during the summer of 2023, burning over 1,700 hectares of land. However, the danger was far from over as many more fires have been naturally set ablaze by the high temperatures in the following seasons, most recently being the wildfire in Mijas, Malaga on November 12. 

So, is it too late to repair the damage that has been done? Does Spain have a chance of holding on to its winter season, or is it a case of ‘too little too late’ in regards to reducing our carbon footprint?