PODCAST: Shifting sands - Beneath Catalonia’s coastal changes

Storms, climate change, and human interference dramatically affecting Catalan beaches

Imposing waves on Garraf beach
Imposing waves on Garraf beach / Àlex Recolons
Catalan News

Catalan News | @catalannews | Barcelona

April 20, 2024 09:24 AM

As the weather gets warmer, more and more people will want to go to the beach. But lately, some of the beaches in Catalonia have looked quite different. 

Press play below to listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, YouTube or Spotify

In some places, the beaches look like they have been swallowed by the sea. The reason for this is the recent storm Nelson, which hit the Catalan coast during this past Easter. Nelson caused an "unprecedented" loss of sand on some of Catalonia’s beaches, in some cases reducing the width of the beach by 25 meters. 

However, this phenomenon is not new and is becoming more and more frequent due to climate change

Recent data show that two-thirds of Catalan beaches have receded in the last seven decades.

At the same time, other beaches have grown as a result of the construction of more ports or the expansion of beaches.

Cillian Shields joins Lea Beliaeva Bander to talk about the state of Catalonia’s beaches and coastline.

We talk to Gonzalo Simarro, a beach scientist at the Marine Sciences Institute, about the impact of storms on Catalan beaches. We also hear from Jordi Pinyol of the Geological and Cartographic Institute of Catalonia, who explains how the Catalan coastline is evolving.

On a lighter note, we also share beach recommendations, from the rocky and picturesque up on Costa Brava, to the fun Barcelona beaches, or the family-friendly Costa Daurada, as well as the windy Terres de l’Ebre.

The Catalan phrase of the week is “Hi ha mar de fons,” which literally means “there is a groundswell,” and is an expression used to express that there is tension or bad vibes. 

Get in touch with the podcast team: fillingthesink@acn.cat.

Listen to more episodes of Filling the Sink below or find out more here.

FOLLOW CATALAN NEWS ON WHATSAPP!

Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone