Matthew Clapham
Feb 15, 2024

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Catalonia is doing very badly right now - despite not being a region you would expect to suffer drought relatively worse than other parts of Spain. It has some of the highest mountains, is fairly far north, and has a long coastline with potential for desalination plants (hardly a viable large-scale, long-term solution, but still).

Years ago, when I lived in Catalonia, I used to say that if I moved in Spain, I would go north to the Cantabrian coast, precisely because of water shortages. I failed to heed my own advice and moved further south...

Spain is home to Europe's only true desert. And it ain't getting any smaller.

Olive trees have for thousands of years been a 'secano' crop - without irrigation. Not any more - they can't cope with such low levels of rainfall.

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Matthew Clapham
Matthew Clapham

Written by Matthew Clapham

Professional translator by day. Writer of silly and serious stuff by night. Also by day, when I get fed up of tedious translations. Founder of Iberospherical.

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