CLIMATE CHANGE OBSERVATORY The climate challenge
Climate change is one of the major threats we face as a territory, as a planet, and as human beings.
A threat, because the planet is being endangered by human activity.
A danger, because if we fail to realise the consequences of our actions, the planet as we conceive it will disappear.
Also, like any crisis, climate change is also a chance to start living together with a new set of game rules, with updated economic, social and political criteria which can only be sustainable.
Climate change means variations in the planet's climate as the result of human activity. The phenomenon we are now observing has ramped up so fast in recent years that we must slow down the process if we do not want the planet as we know it to disappear.
We must change. There are no two ways about it. As a society and as individuals. We need global action and local action. And each and every person, institution, administration, company and/or association must make a start on implementing the change among us all. Decision-making and day-to-day work are essential.
Change is the challenge. Change to a social and economic sustainable development model the main objective of which is to combat climate change and mitigate its effects. We must also adapt, because the new climate is laying down criteria to which society must adapt.
And Gipuzkoa is no different from the rest of the planet. With more than 80 kilometres of coastline, our territory is highly vulnerable to climate change. Because we must maintain our coastline's marine biodiversity and beach areas. Because we want to keep our coast and forest ecosystems risk-free, because we want to preserve our economic sectors such as livestock, agriculture, fishing or forestry. And to this end, the option we are being given is to take action to combat climate change.
This was the reason the Naturklima Foundation was created by the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council's Department of the Environment. In a bid to assess, analyse and observe the effects of climate change in our territory, and propose, assist, advise, encourage and promote courses of action and initiatives to combat climate change in Gipuzkoa.
