A thousand years ago the Arabs settled in the Vinalopó valley and settled it in its present location. city of Elche. There they established a developed network of canals, a complex aqueduct system, and an agricultural activity that supported one of the region’s hallmarks: palm groves. Although these plants were found in Southern Europe before the advent of humans, a long tradition and sustainable economic activity was established with its surroundings when civilization came from the Red Sea.
This is Elche’s Europe’s largest palm forest With more than 200,000 copies- and palm and date palm products is an important local agriculture and decoration industry. The singularity and importance of both the palm trees and the medieval water infrastructure led to the declaration of the Historic Palm Grove. World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.
This example from our country teaches two important lessons about the relationship of man with the environment. Above all, sustainable development with the ecosystem and careful and intelligent protection of nature, prosperity and economic growth. latter, water is an essential element It can be the difference between destruction or success for civilization and its proper use.
The climate emergency is considered the greatest threat humanity will face this century. Most of the information deals with this phenomenon andChallenges faced by the international community to achieve the goals set by the United Nations. All agreements and reports set 2050 as the deadline to achieve most of the targets.
In order to bring this issue closer to the public, to inform and to ensure a healthy discussion of the public, SPANISH NEWSPAPER held a meeting at Espacio Bertelsmann in Madrid to talk about the steps we can take to reverse the planetary emergency. The event organized under the title of sustainable initiatives against climate change, veoliaorganized a panel of environmental expert voices describing the measures to be taken to face the challenges of the ecological transition.
Education
“We’re in a very complex context,” he said. cesar garcia aranda, European Climate Pact ambassador. “We’ve reached a point where different agents are aware that we need a change in the model.” The expert, who is also a university professor, explained that the education system shows diversity in terms of environmental sensitivity: “I believe that there is a very important change in young people.».
Jose Manuel MorenoThe former vice-chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and emeritus professor of Ecology said that due to progress in the destruction of ecosystems, it is no longer necessary to publish clever reports to persuade the public, but to awaken the reality of citizens: «Now I don’t need to present a chart, ask what your experiences have been.. In the particular case of Spain, we have strong heatwaves this summer, without further ado. What experience has shown is that in many areas we are building a world where the heat becomes unbearable for several months of the year.
Serious experiences that are already plaguing all of humanity and particularly affecting developing countries give rise to a general concern about the environment: eco-anxiety. This phenomenon responds to uncertainty, fear, and tense anxiety about the dangers our civilization will face in the coming years. «The most publicized case is Greta Thunberg’s, but there are unnamed boys and girls who suffer from it.. They think that people of average age and decision-making capacity do nothing. They want to be heard and make decisions about their future,” Aranda explained.
Awareness is not just a matter of citizenship, institutions and companies also need to be a part of this transition. “The business world is very diverse. There are many SMEs in Spain and we work with most of them. They are our suppliers, so we must help implement the sustainability criteria,” he said. Vincent Giroud, Sustainability Specialist at Veolia Spain. “We are adding a new reality to this layer: no project is compatible with the Sustainable Development Goals and 2050 climate commitments“, added.
climate globalization
In 2015, two international agreements were reached that will mark the next decades. First, the XXI Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change introduced a new binding climate agreement to replace the expired 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Paris Agreement As stated in the document signed and signed by 195 countries, it sets global warming as a global target “to keep efforts to keep global warming below 2ºC relative to pre-industrial levels and to limit this temperature rise to 1.5ºC”.
“Paris opened the door; It marks a roadmap where every State must do its homework,” Aranda noted. «The Paris Agreement aims not only to reduce emissions, but also to change our economic model of life to ensure the well-being of citizens.He pointed to Giroud. “We have to live on the planet with what the planet allows you,” Moreno added, and started a metaphor to explain it: “We have had too many cows in the meadows that are our world, and we have no choice but to eliminate the cows from the meadow in question”.
The second relevant agreement was its ratification by the United Nations General Assembly. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The SDGs replace the Millennium Development Goals and identify seventeen achievements to be achieved by 2030. Although they all look at sustainability from different perspectives (ecological, economic and social), all four have a specific environmental goal. Goal 13 outlined in climate action is particularly noteworthy.
«All the funds we will receive from Europe will enable us to offer sustainability solutions through the Green Pact.said. The Veolia expert emphasized the importance of implementing environmentally friendly solutions as soon as possible: “If developing countries do not change their models, they will make the same mistakes as us and have to face the same problems as us.” but fifty years.
Given the reluctance of various countries to face the green transition, José Manuel Moreno, «don’t fall into manicheism» and that the general interests of the planet are «offending» with the interests of many of these States: «China is the most polluting country, and the next danger lies in India, which has huge environmental problems; but opinion is changing and I think we should support this snowball of virtue.
sustainable growth
The main obstacle to the implementation of environmentally friendly measures is the belief that there is a dichotomy: either we protect the environment or we move forward economically. However, historical examples like Elche show that this is not so. caring for the environment can offer new opportunities. “You can grow sustainably. “Businesses should go in this direction and sectors that are not like fossil fuels should be set aside,” he said. But the expert issued a warning: «The ecological transition must also be fair and inclusive for all citizens.. It cannot lead to loss of well-being.”
Given the doubts and fears that have arisen because of this problem, César García Aranda believes that the key is in education: «Society should be educated on this issue. It should become a daily discussion». “The most confusing messages come from the political world, and that is unacceptable. We cannot allow democratically elected representatives to invent science,” Moreno criticized.
tough future
Spain is one of the European countries most exposed to the climate emergency. Most models demonstrate the key role that proper water management will play in overcoming the impending crisis. «Water is key because it crosses all the climatic events feared in Spain: fires, heat waves, drought and floods. Rational management should be done in all these areas,” said Giroud. The sustainability expert stated that Spain is the pioneer in water management and the first country in reuse in Europe. However, only 7 percent of the water we treat is reused.
“The future involves changing the paradigm of the situation. Ecosystems are our allies, we trust them» warned Moreno. “This dependency also affects our economy. For example, agriculture and tourism. “I don’t understand how we haven’t designed adaptation strategies to respond to these climate events,” Aranda said. «Crops will have to adapt to the availability of water and the changes that will occur», guessed Giroud.
The Veolia expert predicts that implementing these changes towards a sustainable society will lead to a better life: “The good thing about all of this is that these solutions, from individual solutions to what we produce as companies, positive for our health and well-being».
The Arabs believed that the most beautiful sound in nature was the sound of running water. The Arabian Peninsula’s desert biome has fostered smart water management and the powerful impact that scarcity of this vital resource has on its culture. From the palm trees of Elche to Granada’s Red Fort (Alhambra), it proves how responsible their use of water is. civilization can flourish even in dune seas and a teaching on how we should protect our earth for future generations.
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Contact details of the environment department: crisisclimatica@prensaiberica.es
Source: Informacion
James Sean is a writer for “Social Bites”. He covers a wide range of topics, bringing the latest news and developments to his readers. With a keen sense of what’s important and a passion for writing, James delivers unique and insightful articles that keep his readers informed and engaged.