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Spain's beaches under threat from climate change and unchecked development
Greenpeace report warns of shrinking coastlines in Andalucía, Mallorca and Catalonia
A new report from Greenpeace paints a stark picture of the future for some of Spain’s most popular coastal areas, as rising sea levels, increasing tourism and continued urban expansion put huge pressure on the environment.In its latest study, Destruction at All Costs 2025, the environmental group warns that several regions across the country, including Andalucía, the Balearics and Catalonia, are already suffering the effects of climate change and that without urgent action, things will only get worse.
Andalucía facing severe beach loss
On the southern coast, the outlook is particularly worrying. Greenpeace says many beaches in the provinces of Cádiz and Málaga could shrink by as much as 22 metres in width over the coming decades. Places like Marbella, Fuengirola, Benalmádena, Torremolinos and Málaga city are expected to see an average retreat of around 16 to 19 metres.
According to the report, this erosion is being made worse by years of intensive development along the coastline, often for tourism. Luis Berraquero, Greenpeace’s Andalucía spokesperson, said: “After years of coastal exploitation, many coastal ecosystems that protect us from these impacts have been destroyed.” He added that the region’s traditional ‘sun and sand’ tourism model is now turning into “lots of sun and little sand”.
The study also highlights the growing risk of flooding, especially in low-lying areas near wetlands like the Odiel Marshes and the Bay of Cádiz.
Mallorca’s iconic beaches at risk
In the Balearic Islands, Greenpeace warns that some of Mallorca’s most famous beaches could disappear entirely by the end of the century if current trends continue. Rising sea levels, which could increase by up to a metre by 2100 in a worst-case scenario, are putting flat and highly built-up parts of the island at particular risk.
The warming of the Mediterranean Sea, already happening at a faster rate than the global average, is making matters worse by fuelling storms and damaging underwater ecosystems such as the posidonia seagrass meadows, which help protect and regenerate beaches.
Meanwhile, construction on rural land in Mallorca grew by over 260% between 2015 and 2023, much of it linked to high-end tourism. Greenpeace believes the combination of luxury developments and relaxed planning rules is encouraging a model that the island’s environment simply cannot sustain.
Catalonia ‘on the brink’
Greenpeace’s assessment of the Catalan coast is equally critical. The organisation says the region is “on the brink of collapse”, with over a third of beach surface in the Barcelona metropolitan area already lost.
They highlight the erosion of sand and the loss of biodiversity as serious concerns, pointing to Montgat and Badalona as particularly affected areas. Rising sea levels of up to 26 centimetres could severely impact the Ebro Delta, the Llobregat coastline and the Costa Daurada.
Projects like the expansion of El Prat Airport are described as “a deadly blow” to fragile ecosystems, while Greenpeace accuses the Generalitat of failing to act. “While the harshness of the climate impacts in this region is being felt, the Generalitat is looking the other way,” said Elvira Jiménez, the group’s campaign lead.
Call for urgent change
Across all three regions, Greenpeace is calling for a fundamental rethink - not only to reduce emissions, but to stop overdevelopment and allow coastal ecosystems to recover. Their recommendations include restoring natural spaces, improving planning tools, and involving local communities in designing long-term strategies.
The message is clear: Spain’s coastlines are under pressure, and continuing to prioritise development over sustainability could come at a very high cost.
Image: Amos from Stockphotos.com/Unsplash
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