Huge question marks about the future of tourism in the Balearics have been raised amid concerns about the state of its beaches. New research has suggested that over 50% of beach surfaces in the archipelago could disappear before the end of the century.
The alarm was raised by researcher Gabriel Jordà, from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography and the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB). He said the blame lies with climate change and poor human habits. According to the expert, sea levels in the Balearics have risen by nine centimetres since 1993.
Posidonia oceanica is a marine plant endemic to the Mediterranean Sea and crucial for coastal health, protecting them and improving water quality and biodiversity.
Extreme storms could increase in the future, as Jordà notes, which could destroy Posidonia and, consequently, the coasts, raising extreme sea levels in the Balearics by up to 80 centimetres.
This change would double the magnitude of storms on the coast, leaving many island beaches in a critical situation. The sea temperature has also risen by up to 1.6C over the last 40 years.
What’s more, human actions also cause Posidonia to suffer, including pollution, anchors, and water quality degradation have affected this plant.
Scientists have warned that the future of Balearic beaches hangs in the balance if no measures are taken. More than half of Balearic beach surfaces could disappear by century’s end, rising to 80% during storm periods.
If Posidonia continues to disappear, this could happen many decades sooner, which would have severe consequences on tourism and the renowned beach quality of the Balearics.
In 15 years, by 2040, it is estimated that the Mediterranean will increase its sea level by another 10 to 15 cm, reducing many Balearic beaches’ surfaces by five to ten metres.
Jordà has proposed a solution – conserve existing meadows rather than replant Posidonia en masse.
The specialist from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography and UIB has warned that time is running out and immediate action is needed, urging those responsible to take action and create policies that mitigate climate change’s impact on the islands.
Rising sea levels is a worrying concern for many island nations. The island country of Kiribati, located in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the central Pacific Ocean, will be uninhabitable by 2050 and completely disappear in the next few decades.