A recent study published in Regional Environmental Change, a prestigious international scientific journal, summarizes the main threats of climate change for the Balearic Islands and makes a series of policy recommendations for mitigation and adaptation.
Raquel Vaquer Sunyer, coordinator of the Balearic Sea Report, has co-authored this article with eight researchers of the Interdisciplinary Lab on Climate Change (LINCC) of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB).
The results show that the projected temperature and sea level rise, the reduction of the average precipitation and the increase in evapotranspiration, the droughts and the increase in ocean acidification and deoxygenation represent the main threats to the Balearic Islands. This will put at risk, the authors state, not only the ecosystems of the islands but also their water resources, energy and infrastructures, human health and human rights, the political system and the economy given the high vulnerability of the tourism sector to climate change.
The researchers propose mitigation and adaptation actions on terrestrial and marine ecosystems, water resources, energy, infrastructure and urban planning, human health, economy, law and education. Sustainable mobility and waste management are also recommended areas for mitigation action.
With a focus on the marine environment increasing protected natural areas to protect Posidonia oceanica meadows is viewed as an essential mitigation policy. On the other side controlling for potentially invasive alien species, generating management systems of beaches ensuring their conservation, implementing measures to protect Posidonia oceanica seagrasses and developing fishing plans putting special emphasis on the most vulnerable fish species to climate change are recommended adaptation measures
The full article is accessible at:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10113-021-01810-1
Bibliographic reference
Torres, C.; Jordà, G.; de Vílchez, P.; Vaquer-Sunyer, R.; Rita, J.; Canals, V.; Cladera, A.; Escalona, J.M.; Miranda, M.A. “Climate change and their impacts in the Balearic Islands: a guide for policy design in Mediterranean regions”. Regional Environmental Change 21, 107 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-021-01810-1
