Storms in Portugal bring concerns about climate adaptation

A series of storms has been raging across western Europe for weeks. 

Parts of the UK report 42 consecutive days of rain. 

Spain is issuing warnings to its citizens along the northern coast about waves up to nine meters tall, simultaneously dealing with floods and wind damage in the aftermath of storm Nils. 

Portugal, however, has reported floods that have destroyed homes and roads across the country. 16 lives have been lost, thousands are without power, and thousands more have been evacuated from some areas. During the stretch of storms, Portugal has suffered an estimated €775 million worth of damage. 

Citizens are increasingly scrutinizing the country’s lack of climate adaptability for such severe losses. In a video conference from the University of Lisbon, Dr. Pedro Matos Soares claimed the climate adaptability was in desperate need of updates. 

“We cannot be planning land use and making decisions in the different political spheres of land use planning and adaptation thinking about the climate of the 19th century, or of 1942 or 43,” Soares said. 

“We have to understand what the climate is like now and in the future, within the time horizon of our infrastructures, our settlements, our territory on a scale of 50, 100 years, because otherwise we have a problem.”

According to Climate-ADAPT, a joint project between the European Environment Agency and the European Commission, there are several ways cities can adapt to changing climates. The most effective of these methods, as touched on by Dr. Soares, is land use planning. Municipal laws, regulations and institutions are among the best ways to ensure that land is being used efficiently and that there is minimal impact from natural events. These solutions could range from creating more resilient building codes, to increasing green spaces, to developing better early warning systems.