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The Andalusian regional government is preparing to approve a new drought decree next week, marking the third such decree since the current emergency began in the region. The decree will involve an investment of 163 million euros, with 25% of this amount going to direct aid to the primary production sectors most affected by the lack of water.
According to the President of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, the prolonged lack of rainfall in the region, coupled with high temperatures, has led to evaporation in the reservoirs, which now stand at less than 30% of their capacity. This has prompted concerns about restrictions on human consumption in some inland Andalusian towns and villages this summer.
The impact of the drought on the Andalusian economy is a major concern, with Moreno warning that it will lead to lower GDP growth than expected and have repercussions for the Spanish economy as a whole. He also highlighted the challenges faced by the Andalusian primary sector, which is suffering from a 'perfect storm' of factors, including the drought, rising costs, and unfair competition from products from third countries.
The President called on the government to take coordinated action to tackle the problem of drought, which he warned has become a regular feature and is a direct consequence of climate change. He also criticized the national government's opposition to water transfers, reservoirs, and desalination, and called for a water policy on a continental scale that is sensitive to areas of structural drought such as Andalucía.
Moreno urged the government to take advantage of the upcoming Spanish presidency of the European Union to promote a water policy on a continental scale that takes into account the needs of areas affected by drought. He also revealed that the government in recent years has only invested 9.7 million euros in works aimed at combating drought in Andalucía compared to the 1.5 billion euros mobilized in water policies by the regional government, which has 300 purification works underway.
In conclusion, the new drought decree marks an effort by the Andalusian regional government to combat the challenges of drought, which have become a regular feature in the region due to climate change. The decree's investment of 163 million euros, with a focus on aid for the primary production sectors most affected by the lack of water, highlights the importance of addressing the impact of drought on the region's economy and the need for a coordinated effort by the national government to tackle the problem.