Adaptation to climate change until 2030 in Spain will incorporate human rights, and the gender and social equity approach

The National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change for the period 2021-2030 in Spain will incorporate a human rights approach, will take into account the gender perspective, equity, the interaction between mitigation and adaptation as well as a systemic approach that seeks to promote a new approach to lifestyles, as explained by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition.

This is stated in the Evaluation Report of the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (PNACC), which analyzes the first Spanish plan for adaptation to climate change and includes an outline for the preparation of the second PNACC for the period 2021-2030, and which has been presented this Tuesday by the director of the Spanish Office of Climate Change, Valvanera Ulargui.

Ulargui stressed that the PNACC-2 will pay attention to emerging aspects in the field of adaptation to climate change, among which the influence of social and demographic factors on vulnerability to climate change stands out.

Specifically, in terms of human rights, the objective of adaptation to climate change is to protect and fulfil the rights of people vulnerable to the climate emergency, within the framework of the 2021-2030 agenda.

Thus, the director general has pointed out that the new plan will incorporate 38 recommendations detected throughout the first PNACC since 2006 and that it will end in 2020, with the aim of curbing the effects of the impact of climate change in Spain.

The evaluation process for the adaptation of Spain to Climate Change began within the framework of the LIFE Shara project ‘Awareness and knowledge for adaptation to climate change’, aimed at achieving a society better adapted to climate change, cooperating with all the actors involved, generating knowledge and increasing social awareness.

The PNACC, adopted in 2006, was the second national adaptation planning document in Europe after the Finnish Adaptation Strategy (2005).

Thus, the evaluation process of this plan formally began in February 2018, with the constitution of an advisory group, formed by experts from different fields: European institutions, General State Administration, autonomous communities, academic sector and non-governmental sector.

During the evaluation, opinions, assessments and suggestions from professionals in the field of adaptation in Spain were collected within the framework of a survey completed by 300 people and a set of in-depth interviews.

Ulargui pointed out in a briefing that from this work it is deduced that the majority considers it “urgent” to act against the risks derived from climate change, with an urgency index of 8.7 on a scale of 10, although there are relevant differences in terms of the perception of risk for the different impacts.

In addition, more than 80 percent believe that there is a high risk from climate change in coastal areas, soils and desertification, and in biodiversity, while 73 percent identify health impacts also as a high risk.

However, a minority (around 40% and below) appreciate this high risk in sectors such as finance and insurance, tourism and industry. “It is clear that it is necessary to work so that these sectors know and can be prepared for the risks they will have to face,” said the director of the Spanish Office of Climate Change.

Among the achievements of the first PNACC, those responsible have expressed in the surveys the ability to place adaptation and mitigation plans on the agendas of institutions, channel economic and technical resources towards adaptation or mobilize relevant actors in the field of adaptation.

On the other hand, among the 38 recommendations for the PNACC-2, other emerging aspects stand out, such as the influence of social and demographic factors on vulnerability to climate change; the consideration of the risks in Spain that derive from the effects of climate change beyond its borders, or the role of lifestyles in building resilience to climate change, among others.

The 38 recommendations include general issues, the resources required, the structure of the plan, new themes and working approaches, regulations and public policies, knowledge generation, stakeholder mobilization, participation and governance, or evaluation and monitoring.

The OECC officials have also stressed that the second PNACC must continue to generate and facilitate access to quality knowledge on the impacts and risks of climate change and the vulnerability derived from them in the different sectors and areas of work, especially in the most relevant sectors and in those less attended in the first PNACC.

Likewise, Ulargui concluded his speech by affirming that “progress should be made in the design and implementation of effective, efficient and recognizable adaptation measures in all sectors and geographical areas, especially in those where the response is most necessary and urgent.”

Source: The Vanguard