Climate Now by Copernicus - February 2024
Can Catalonia learn to live with drought?
The Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that February was the warmest on record globally, with temperature 0.8 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average. We have now had nine months in a row of record-breaking warm temperatures for the time of year.
In Europe, there were large warm anomalies in many countries. Temperatures in Romania were 6.8 degrees above average for February, Switzerland was 4.6 degrees above average, and England was 2.9 degrees above the average for the month.
The surface temperature of the ocean outside polar regions also broke a new absolute record, averaging 21.06 degrees Celsius in February.
How is the Spanish region of Catalonia adapting to drought? The main reservoir that feeds Barcelona is almost empty and the water regeneration and desalination plants are at full capacity. Meanwhile private companies are making their own efforts to economise and recycle water. Is it enough?
