Spain faces a crucial challenge for the recovery of its rivers and wetlands. The organization SEO/BirdLife has warned about the critical situation of aquatic ecosystems and the need to act in the next hydrological planning cycle 2028-2033, which could be the last opportunity to reverse the accumulated environmental damage.
Rivers and Wetlands at Risk
SEO/BirdLife has presented its concerns in each of the twelve inter-community hydrographic demarcations, highlighting that almost half of Spain’s rivers and wetlands do not comply with European environmental standards. Biodiversity remains secondary to productive demands, leaving many of these water bodies in poor ecological condition.
The NGO urges a profound transformation in water management that prioritizes natural ecosystems over growing economic and climatic pressures. According to their data, 44% of water bodies have not reached a favorable ecological status.
With more than two decades under the Water Framework Directive, the situation remains critical due to overexploitation, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Incorporating more ambitious environmental objectives is essential to prevent this from being the last opportunity to save these ecosystems.
One of the strongest criticisms from SEO/BirdLife is the lack of integration of biodiversity in management plans. Although the Natura 2000 Network is present in technical documents, its influence on decisions is insufficient.
Water requirements for protected habitats must be binding. We cannot subordinate the water necessary for life to productive interests. Plans must be based on updated climate scenarios by the IPCC, addressing the new climate normality with more frequent extreme phenomena.
For experts, climate adaptation must be central in water policies and not a complementary option. The NGO emphasizes that treating droughts as exceptions is inadequate; they must be recognized as part of a new normality.
The organization criticizes the policy of irrigation modernization, which has resulted in an increase in total water consumption, and calls to halt expansions in basins with structural water deficits.
The rise in sea level is another critical challenge. Marshes and coastal aquifers may face salinization due to the retreat of freshwater. The NGO proposes nature-based solutions, such as the restoration of floodplains and meanders, to improve the resilience of ecosystems.
Finally, SEO/BirdLife advocates for land stewardship as a tool for collaboration between landowners, environmental entities, and administrations, to effectively boost the recovery of rivers and wetlands.
In the face of the climate crisis and water scarcity, the future of aquatic ecosystems depends on decisive actions in the next hydrological planning cycle.
