A new Desertification Atlas reveals that 43.35% of Spanish territory is degraded, with desertification affecting 60.94% of arid zones. The study, produced by the University of Alicante and CSIC, highlights the most vulnerable regions such as Murcia and the Canary Islands. Water management is presented as key to mitigating the problem's advance.
Soil degradation in Spain has reached alarming levels, according to the first Desertification Atlas produced by the University of Alicante and the Superior Council of Scientific Investigations (CSIC). The report quantifies that degradation affects 43.35% of the national territory, while desertification impacts 206,203 square kilometers, equivalent to 60.94% of arid areas.
The regional distribution shows notable contrasts. Murcia leads with 99.8% of its soil classified as arid, followed by the Canary Islands (92.7%), Castilla-La Mancha (90.5%), the Balearic Islands (85.4%), and the Valencian Community (84.4%). At the opposite end, communities like Cantabria, Galicia, and Asturias record no arid zones. The most affected areas include the southeastern peninsula, the Manchegan plateau, southern Extremadura, viticultural zones of Castilla y León and La Rioja, as well as parts of the Ebro and Guadalquivir valleys.
The atlas, comprising 66 maps, employs a Random Forest algorithm to integrate variables such as climate, water, soil, forest cover, and biodiversity, alongside social factors aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights that 42% of the territory consumes over 80% of the country's freshwater, and four out of five residents live in arid zones. Only 12% of the 4,000 cubic hectometers of urban water consumed annually is reused.
Researchers propose measures like wastewater reuse, network improvements to reduce losses, desalination, and water transfers, amid irregular rainfall and rising temperatures. Climate change and unsustainable resource use exacerbate the process, making an integrated vision essential for designing specific territorial responses.
