Barcelona for Climate

The answer to this question is made up of various arguments that complement one another:

• Because this is the first climate change caused by human activity, while the previous episodes were the result of natural causes.
• Because this is the fastest climate change ever experienced on Earth.
• Because it is causing an increase in average temperatures which has clear and serious effects on ecosystems and people.
• Because it is unjust and causes inequalities. Not all countries are equally responsible for generating greenhouse gases, and not all countries have the same capacity to adapt. In fact, the countries most affected and with the greatest difficulties adapting to the changes are those that have contributed least to the problem. It is therefore a problem that goes beyond strictly environmental aspects to become a question of ethics and responsibility.

Cities are part of the climate change problem, as the majority of emissions and energy consumption are concentrated in cities around the world, but for that reason they are also a key part of the solution.

In general terms, the majority of cities are already experiencing the impacts associated with climate change, such as effects on health, increasing temperatures, aggravation of the urban heat island effect, more periods of drought, more flooding, more heat waves, rising sea levels, reduction in water resources, etc. Local government measures are crucial to managing climate change issues, both on a local scale, because they increase the quality of life of city residents, and on a global scale, since the world’s urban populations make up over 54% of the planet’s inhabitants. In the European Union, 74% of the population lives in urban areas, consuming 75% of the energy.

Cities and their metropolitan surroundings demonstrate a close link between urbanisation, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Urban density and layout are key factors in influencing energy consumption, especially in the transport and construction industries.

An increase in the number of heat waves and reduced availability of water for consumption. There will be more heat waves and they will also be more intense and longer lasting. Night-time temperatures will go up too, particularly in neighbourhoods near the coast. The first challenge to tackle is the heat waves. In the last 34 years, there have been eight such episodes in the city. The most intense of these was in 1982 but the longest occurred in 2003, lasting for 13 days.

Night-time temperature increases may cause problems for people's rest and recuperation. The neighbourhoods closest to the coast might be the worst affected by the increase in night-time temperatures. These increases could have consequences for people's health, as the nocturnal period of rest is the time when people recover from the whole day.

On the other hand, by 2050 it is anticipated that there will be a reduction in the availability of water resources and that demand will have increased by 4%. The city will need an additional 18 hm³ of water per year.

Further information

From the perspective of climate justice, the most important challenges posed by climate change will be tackling energy poverty, health problems linked to heat waves and increasing food prices. With climate change, and given the demographic and socio-economic dynamics of the city, the population most vulnerable to energy poverty will increase in size.

Although the future forecasts talk about a reduction in energy demand for heating buildings, the demand for energy and water supplies will increase with climate change (ventilation and refrigeration systems, personal hygiene and laundry). Households will have to deal with the higher costs of meeting their demand for electricity and water (not gas). In the coming years, there will be an increase in the number of households with dependent children and single-person households due to the growth in migratory movements and the ageing population.

In short, energy poverty will have to be redefined with climate change: there will be a fall in energy demand for heating but an increased demand for water and electricity for ventilation and climate control in buildings. The population most vulnerable to energy poverty will increase in size, given the demographic and socio-economic dynamics of the city.