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Ibiza “in danger of becoming a concrete jungle”
Spanish environmental campaigners have pledged to oppose plans for further tourism development in Ibiza and Majorca.
Three environmental groups from the Balearic Islands, including Friends of the Earth Ibiza, have lodged a formal complaint with the European Union’s environment commission against what they claim is the planned destruction of important ecosystems.
They say changes in Balearic planning legislation will override existing legal protection for species of birds and habitats of European importance in favour of tourist developments.
“This will result in the Balearic Islands being the region with least environmental protection in the whole of Spain,” a spokesman from the environmental groups claimed.
Threatened areas include Cala d’Hort in the north west of Ibiza and Llevant in Majorca.
Environmentalists claim an Ibizan wetland area, Feixes, declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site due to a unique irrigation system developed by the Moors, is being allowed to deteriorate to ease the way for urban development.
There are also plans to build a new larger passenger port within the limits of an internationally protected wetland site and two four-lane motorways to connect towns only 17 kilometres apart.
Friends of the Earth Ibiza spokeswoman Hazel Morgan said: “Ibiza is in danger of becoming a concrete jungle, as the government is encouraging tourist developments at any cost. We are in danger of losing our last valuable wildlife habitats. The European Commission must prevent this.
“We already face problems because natural resources are stretched to the limit: fresh water has to be produced by desalination plants; the central electrical generating plant cannot keep up with demand, so a connection to the mainland is being planned.”
Report by Phil Davies
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