During a recent conference on the housing problem in Spain, a CIS survey from last April was presented, analyzing the major concerns of society. Housing ranks first, followed by economic problems, unemployment, lack of political agreement, immigration, and healthcare.
It is significant that this list makes no mention of environmental issues, particularly climate change. Despite awareness campaigns, such as Earth Day celebrations or blackouts to reduce consumption, the stark reality is that climate change is not among the major social concerns.
“"Climate change is not an immediate catastrophic manifestation; it is not considered a material problem, as housing or lack of work are. Hence the difficulty of maintaining attention on this silent risk."
This trend is observed both during economic crises, such as that of 2008, and during periods of prosperity. Interest in these issues only temporarily increases when a specific problem arises, such as a DANA (cold drop) or this winter's storms.
To counteract this perception, government action and continuous citizen awareness campaigns are essential. However, it is observed that in several Spanish territories, government agreements are eliminating climate action from their programs, and social engagement has lost momentum in recent years.
