Catalonia has entered a new scenario never before known in recent times. This Thursday the Government decreed an emergency due to drought, which will entail a series of measures and restrictions for citizens and companies in the areas served by the Ter and Llobregat reservoirs. A total of 202 municipalities and 5.9 million people will be affected by “the worst drought of the last century”, as Pere Aragonès pointed out.
The president of the Generalitat pointed out that “there has never been a drought so long and of such intensity.” And he recalled that in the last “40 months” the level of rain has been “extremely reduced”, even “there have been weeks in which it has not rained at all in a good part of the country.”
The serious climate situation and the subsequent political reaction have not gone unnoticed in the international press. From countries that know the problem closely, such as Italy or Portugal, to more distant places – and even remote ones – they have dedicated a space to the news, also on the digital covers.
English-speaking, prestigious media from the United States stand out, such as The Washington Post and CNN or the British The Guardian or the BBC. The newspaper from the American capital highlights the “historic” drought and points out that Barcelona is an example of the situation that the entire Mediterranean area can experience as a consequence of climate change.
CNN insists on the same idea and gives more global importance to the news. It highlights the “new reality” that several parts of Europe must face, which “are warming twice as fast as the global average.”
The Guardian headlines “Catalonia declares drought emergency and extends restrictions to Barcelona”, highlighting that water reserves are below 16% after “more than a thousand days without rain.” For its part, the BBC television network tells the story through testimonies such as a baker from Berga or the Secretary of Climate Action Anna Barnadas.
Several countries in the European Union also dedicate lines to talking about the Catalan climate emergency. In the French newspaper Le Monde, for example, they explain the “water limitation” due to the “persistent drought” that will affect the province of Barcelona and part of Girona. “Of the 150 liters of rain per square meter expected in January, only 15 fell,” notes the newspaper, which also highlights that it is the hottest January ever recorded.
The weekly Der Spiegl also echoes this by highlighting that it is a “tourist region, also popular with Germans.” He explains some of the prohibitions, such as washing the car, and highlights the concerns of farmers. The Italian Stampa headlines “Barcelona’s thirst”, while the Portuguese newspaper Record focuses on restrictions such as the closing of the tap in gyms and sports centers, in addition to emptying swimming pools.
Apart from the United States, other American countries have echoed the news, some Spanish-speaking (La Nación of Argentina highlights the “strong restrictions” due to “water reserves at critical levels”) but also other more surprising ones, such as Radio Jamaica News, which reports the news “to face the crisis of the worst drought on record” in Catalonia.
