Over the past 20 years, Spain hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of environmental protection. It wasn’t until 2005 that the first laws on curbing greenhouse gas emissions were passed by the government. As Spain enjoyed a steady economic boom throughout the Nineties, the environment paid the price, by being a particularly low priority of the Partido Popular’s political agenda. “Spain’s rapid economic growth is the main reason for its terrible environmental record,” says Lucia Artazcoz of the Catalan Public Health Agency. “The country has developed very quickly over the past couple of decades, and this has meant increasing numbers of cars on the road. Levels of pollution have therefore rocketed, especially in the most affluent regions, such as Catalunya.”
Of most concern to public health is the increase in carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the major causes of global warming. A report by environmental organisations and trade unions published in 2005 found that CO2 levels in Catalunya are now double what they were in the Nineties, and nearly 40 percent higher than the limit laid down by the Kyoto Protocol. “The dangers of ozone depletion over the earth are well documented,” according to Marc Saez of Girona University’s environmental research unit.
“In the stratosphere—10 to 50 kilometres above the earth’s surface—ozone protects life on Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Nearer the earth’s surface, human activities, mainly road transport in Catalunya’s case, is creating ozone concentrations several times higher than natural levels. In high concentration, ozone can cause serious health problems and damage ecosystems. When combined with other air pollutants, such as nitrous oxides, it can be lethal, often forming a harmful smog. This smog can irritate airways, cause breathing difficulties and damage lungs after only a few hours of exposure.”
Mounting numbers of studies are blaming such contamination for rising levels of asthma, heart problems and allergies, as well as contributing to deaths caused by cancer. The European Environmental Agency estimates that up to 30 percent of Europe’s urban population is exposed to ozone concentrations above the threshold levels set by the EU. These ozone concentrations are said to be responsible for as many as 20,000 deaths in Europe every year, reducing the average lifespan by almost nine months. On a world-wide scale, the World Health Organisation says that 2.3 million deaths last year were caused by atmospheric pollution. The Spanish Environment Ministry estimates that about 12 million people breathe highly polluted air nationwide and highlights the fact that during summer, a visible smog can be seen hanging over Spain’s major cities. Recently, a study on rats by scientists at New York University concluded that air pollution causes a variety of cardiovascular illnesses.
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