Barcelona’s famous beaches lose 20% of their sand in one year: local authorities blame winter storms

June 27, 2024

Barcelona’s famous beaches are one of the Catalan capital’s biggest selling points for locals and visitors alike, yet local authorities are concerned after it was revealed that severe winter storms have blown away a fifth of the city’s golden sand.

Between July 2023 and April 2024, beaches in the greater Barcelona area lost 60 hectares of area. Experts blame windy storms caused by climate change for the coastal erosion.

Due to the dwindling amounts of sand, pipelines that previously supplied water and electricity to coastal businesses have even been exposed.

Along Barcelona’s 42-kilometer-long coastline, some beaches have lost more than 50 meters in width, which poses an increasing challenge for local authorities and tourism associations.

The worst affected area is the stretch of beach between Badalona, an industrial core north of Barcelona, and Montgat, which is considered the epicenter of sand loss. Over 36 percent of the beaches there have been washed away by storms and the sea.

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Storm Gerald triggers a severe orange weather warning in parts of the Spanish region of Valencia — Authorities blame a series of severe winter storms for the coastal erosion. Image credit: Pixabay

The loss of the beach has led to businesses such as beach bars packing up and leaving the area, costing the municipality €360,000 in lost revenue.

“The social and economic value of the beaches is at risk,” said Ramon Torra, director of the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona (AMB).

He called on local authorities to “stop looking for excuses for climate change” and instead take decisive, long-term action to solve the problem.

Many blame climate change for the loss of sand areas because the wind direction is changing from north to south, rendering many erosion control measures useless.

Barcelona’s beaches are entirely artificial and were built in 1990 in preparation for the upcoming 1992 Summer Olympics. Before that, the coast was dominated by ports and industrial centers.