Xabier Esteban, director general of the Naturklima Foundation, an entity that studies and disseminates information on the effects of climate change and how to address it, has expressed concern over the high temperatures recorded in recent months. He noted that temperatures exceeding 30 degrees at the end of May are unusual for the time of year and warned that some regions of Gipuzkoa, particularly inland ones, are warming more rapidly than others.
According to the analyzed data, municipalities in Gipuzkoa have warmed by between 0.5 and 0.9 degrees per decade over the last 25 years. In the regions of Tolosaldea and Goierri, the temperature increase is more pronounced, ranging from 0.50 to 0.60 degrees more per decade, raising concerns about energy consumption and adaptation needs.
Esteban emphasized that school centers and many buildings in Gipuzkoa are not prepared for the current high temperatures. This creates problems in spaces where many people gather and adequate cooling capacity is lacking. While more common in regions like Andalusia, temperatures like those recorded in May are not typical for Gipuzkoa.
To address the consequences of climate change, the director has advocated for adopting new criteria in the design of new buildings and renovating existing ones. He considers it essential to take into account factors such as solar exposure and orientation.
Regarding sea-level rise, data from the San Sebastián Aquarium shows an increase in surface water temperature of 0.28 degrees per decade since 1980. Global sea-level rise has been approximately 23 centimeters over the last 120 years, and in the Bay of Biscay, the average since 1990 is around 3.1 centimeters per decade. The primary scientific concern lies in the significant amount of heat accumulating in the oceans.
Among the public, the main concern is the heat and the scarcity of green spaces in urban areas. Esteban has highlighted the need to renaturalize cities and towns, and to connect existing parks and green spaces, creating shaded corridors, especially during days with high temperatures.
The director has also emphasized the importance of public transport in the fight against climate change. He notes that public transport functions well in Gipuzkoa and that both entities like Naturklima and citizens wish to promote its use, even if it sometimes requires walking long distances after using it to reach work.
He also mentioned the organization of a congress on the recycling of electric batteries. He indicated that the Basque Country and Gipuzkoa have leading companies in this sector, and the goal is to prepare a value chain to manage the waste from electric vehicle batteries at the end of their useful life.
Finally, when asked about the network of charging points for electric vehicles, Esteban shared his personal experience as an electric car driver, stating that although more points will be needed in the future with mass electrification, he has not encountered problems charging his vehicle currently.
