Barcelona to host international conference on drought resilience in September 2024 

The Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that Barcelona will host an international summit on drought resilience in September 2024. 

Sánchez revealed the plans in Dubai on Friday, where he is taking part in the World Climate Summit and the UN Climate Change Conference, COP 28. 

"I am pleased to announce that the International Drought Resilience Alliance's high-level international meeting to analyze national policies will take place in Barcelona in September 2024," Sánchez said. 

He ended his speech with a "positive message," saying: "Human activity, which has altered natural cycles, can also enable us to reverse the trends and allow us to prepare for the impact." 

The International Drought Resilience Alliance is an initiative launched by Spain and Senegal at COP 27 in Egypt to address the "urgent need to pivot from emergency response to increasing drought resilience through a more coordinated and effective response." 

The conference will take place between September 30 and October 3, 2024.

Mayor welcomes "magnificant news"

Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni described the global summit coming to the city as "magnificent news." 

Also speaking in Dubai, he said: The Barcelona summit must allow us to work on the problem of droughts with a strategic and political vision in which those responsible for local, national and international administrations can define roadmaps." 

"Where not only the meteorological component is taken into account, but also the infrastructure and consumption guidelines to fight the drought," Colboni added, accompanied by Spain's Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera

Drought in Catalonia 

Catalonia is currently facing its worst drought in over a century. 

The ongoing lack of rain, the size of the area affected, and the time span – over three and a half years – mean the situation is worse compared to the drought seen in Catalonia between 2005 and 2008, according to the Catalan meteorological agency Meteocat. 

The Catalan government said this week it is in "permanent talks" with Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition over an emergency measure to transport water to Catalonia by ship if needed.