the meteorological agency victim of insults and threats from climatosceptics

“Criminals”, “we are watching you”, “you will pay”… These are the type of anonymous messages that the Spanish weather agency Aemet received during the April heat wave, on social networks, by email and by telephone. On Friday May 5, the Minister for Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera called for “say stop” to this type of practice. “Lying, fueling conspiracy and fear, insulting… This impoverishes our society”, she denounced on her Twitter account (in Spanish).

These threats are linked to the forecasts and analyzes published by the agency, and in particular those relating to the early heat wave which hit the country at the end of April. An absolute heat record for the month of April in mainland Spain was broken on April 27, with 38.8°C in Cordoba.

“Climate change is a reality”

In a video posted on April 20 on Twitter, the Aemet had already denounced a resurgence of violence on social networks, calling for “respect” of its officials. “We respect freedom of expression” but “we can’t afford everything”, she warned. According to one of the agency’s spokespersons, interviewed by the daily El Diario (in Spanish)the organization had no “Never” experienced such a level of aggression.

“We are an essential public service, we have highly qualified and expert staff, so we continue to work with this professionalism”she said, decrying the flood of misinformation and climate skepticism as the country faces a historic drought. “Climate change is a reality. The latest report from the IPCC, and others before it, concludes that climate change is bringing us episodes of higher temperatures, which we are seeing now.”