We begin 2025 immersed in a complex global context, with risks that interact with one another and directly affect Catalonia. The start of each year is a key moment to analyse trends and anticipate possible scenarios, particularly at a time when the climate, governance and social change are shaping a landscape of uncertainty. In this article, auma sets out a concise, strategic view of the main environmental risks in Catalonia in 2025, and of the factors that could amplify their impact over the coming months.
An overview of environmental risks in Catalonia in 2025
2025 looks set to be a year in which environmental risks will be strongly shaped by:
- Global political and economic instability
- The course of climate change
- Pressure on natural resources
- An energy transition that is still insufficient
- Rising social and regulatory demands
Catalonia faces this scenario with structural vulnerabilities — such as water stress and the shortage of waste infrastructure — and with challenges that call for planning, consensus and delivery capacity.
1. A G-Zero world and its environmental impact in Catalonia
The loss of global leadership and the shift towards a "G-Zero world" translates into less international coordination, hampering progress on global climate policy. The protectionist stance of major powers may slow down agreements that are essential to reducing emissions, accelerating the energy transition and coordinating responses to extreme climate events.
For Catalonia, this drift means an environment of uncertainty that could hold back green investment and heighten the vulnerability behind the environmental risks in Catalonia 2025.
2. Populism and denialism: obstacles to climate action
Despite the scientific consensus on the anthropogenic origin of climate change, denialist discourse is regaining ground, often linked to populist movements. This narrative simplifies complex problems and erodes the credibility of public policy, putting the implementation of essential measures at risk.
This phenomenon, also present in Catalonia, can slow decision-making in the face of growing climate risks, aggravating environmental risks in the medium term.
3. Social acceptance and NIMBY: a brake on environmental infrastructure
On the other side, social opposition to new infrastructure — particularly energy, water and waste management facilities — makes it harder to bring essential projects to fruition. The NIMBY ("Not In My Back Yard") phenomenon has intensified in recent years, generating opposition movements against practically any transformative initiative.
The lack of social acceptance thus becomes an environmental risk in its own right, since it prevents structural solutions to the territory's challenges from being deployed.
4. CSRD 2025: new regulation and a shift in the corporate paradigm
The European CSRD Directive definitively enters into force for companies with more than 500 employees. In 2025 these organisations will have to report using consistent, verifiable and auditable criteria, placing sustainability information on the same footing as financial information.
This change will put internal structures under strain, but it will also help reduce greenwashing and improve the quality of information on environmental impacts, a key element in preventing the environmental risks in Catalonia 2025.
5. Water in Catalonia 2025: from structural drought to scarcity
Despite the rainfall at the end of 2024, reservoirs remain at around 30%. Catalonia has already entered a scenario of permanent water stress, driven by:
- Population growth
- Higher water demand from urban and agricultural users
- A structural reduction in water availability as a result of climate change
- Infrastructure that is progressing slowly
2025 looks like the year in which the concept of "post-drought" will cease to make sense: the challenge is not to get through isolated episodes, but to manage chronic scarcity with severe impacts on the agri-food and industrial sectors.
This is one of the main environmental risks in Catalonia in 2025.
6. Waste crisis: capacity at its limit and the need for a new debate
The linear model remains predominant and waste generation per capita is still on an upward trend. Despite efforts to drive the circular economy, the reality is clear: output is not falling and existing infrastructure — landfills, treatment plants and recovery facilities — is approaching its operating limit.
The moratorium on new energy recovery plants and the halting of landfill projects create a worrying scenario in which the lack of capacity could trigger a waste management crisis.
7. The energy transition on hold: risks and consequences
The main brakes on the deployment of renewable energy have been:
- Slow environmental and planning procedures
- Social opposition
- A lack of storage capacity
- Oversupply during solar hours and low prices
This combination makes many projects economically unviable. The situation is especially critical given the nuclear phase-out planned for 2030, which could leave Catalonia without sufficient alternatives if the transition does not accelerate immediately.
The disconnect between demand, the energy model and the pace of deployment is one of the most delicate environmental risks in Catalonia 2025.
8. Air quality: health and regulation in a more demanding 2025
Low emission zones are beginning to take hold in several Catalan cities, but the new European legislation tightens the limits and requires more ambitious measures. There is still considerable public confusion between greenhouse gases and air pollutants, which hampers public debate and the adoption of effective measures.
Air quality is not only a climate challenge: it is, above all, a public health problem.
9. The age of resilience: from efficiency to flexibility
Resilience has moved from being a theoretical concept to an operational requirement. Infrastructure, systems and organisations will have to prioritise flexibility in order to adapt to recurrent shocks: droughts, heatwaves, rising energy costs and supply chain disruptions.
The challenge is clear: efficiency is no longer enough. We need to invest in response capacity.
How should we approach the environmental risks in Catalonia in 2025?
2025 will demand leadership, strategic vision and a new way of planning land use and infrastructure. The challenges are many, but so are the opportunities for transformation: strengthening resilience, driving a more robust energy transition and moving towards more efficient management of water and material resources.
In Catalonia, the key to reducing the 2025 environmental risks will be to combine technical rigour, social consensus and the capacity to decide. auma will continue to provide analysis, data and judgement to help administrations and companies move towards a safer, more sustainable future.