Interiores Costas 2005 Ingl.S

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA

JULY 2005

GREENPEACE REPORT ABOUT THE SPANISH COAST SITUATION DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA

JULY 2005

Greenpeace report about the Spanish coast situation. July 2005

Texts and maps: María José Caballero, Paloma Colmenarejo, Sebastián Losada, Raquel Montón, Marta Rodríguez. Edition: Laura Pérez Picarzo. Design and Layout: De Dos. Espacio de Ideas. Photo Cover: hotel in El Algarrobico´s beach (Carboneras). Natural Park Cabo de Gata-Níjar. Author: Pedro Armestre.

An electronic version of this report is available in our web page: www.greenpeace.es

Printed in 100% recycled paper. INDEX

REPORTS OBJECTIVES 4 INTRODUCTION 6 URBAN DEVELOPMENT 8 TOURISM 10 INSTALATIONS AND WORKS IN THE COAST 12 PORTS 14 POLLUTION 16 AUTONOMOUS REGIONS ANALYSIS

ANDALUSIA 18

ASTURIAS 22

CANTABRIA 25

CATALONIA 28

COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA 32

GALICIA 36

BALEARIC ISLANDS 40

CANARY ISLANDS 43

BASQUE COUNTRY 47

REGION OF MURCIA 50

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 3 REPORTS OBJECTIVES

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© Greenpeace/Armestre The main objective of this report is to All the stakeholders, the administration, denounce the bad situation in which the the local population, the ecologist and Spanish coasts are. Our denounce materi- environmentalist organizations and the alizes in “black spots” placed along the companies have to start working immedi- 8.000 kilometers of the Spanish coast, ately in a coordinated way in order to start that draw a dark map of constant aggres- running solutions trough an integrated sions to a strip of land as rich and valuable coast management, aiming to protect the that it has a specific law that protects it, natural ecosystems running, increasing The Shores Act 28/1988. The fulfilment of at the same time the social and economic this law should be the best guaranty to welfare of the coastal regions. ensure the conservation of the coast.

Our second objective is to determine the causes that have brought the coast to this situation. The lack of planning and management of several activities done in the coast has resulted in non-fulfilment the Shores Act and the rest of the environmental regulations referring to contamination and protection of the natural spaces, and the species that live on it.

Our third and last objective, once the problems have been identified, is to try to find solutions. Stop the building on the coast’s first strip of land, stop dumping to the sea, don’t allow damaging works for the coastal ecosystems and protecting the natural spaces.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 5 INTRODUCTION

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© Greenpeace/Caballero THE SEA AND ITS COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS PROVIDE A GREAT VARIETY OF SERVICES AND WEALTH TO THE SOCIETY AT A GLOBAL LEVEL THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CLIMATE REGULATION AND AT A REGIONAL LEVEL THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIET, THEY PROTECT FROM THE COASTAL EROSION AND THEY BRING CONSIDERABLE BENEFITS THANKS TO ACTIVITIES LIKE THE TOURISM, WHICH MEANS JOBS AND ECONOMIC WEALTH.

THE DEGRADATION OF THE COASTAL AND MARINE SPANISH ENVIRONMENT IS DUE TO HUMAN ACTIVITIES. THE CONTAMINATION PROBLEMS, THE OVERCROWDING URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE FISHING OVEREXPLOITATION AND THE RIVERS ESTUARIES ALTERATION ACT, IN A SYNERGIC WAY, AMPLIFYING ITS ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS AND SITUATING THE COAST IN A PRECARIOUS SITUATION.

SOCIETY AND ADMINISTRATION HAVE MOVED FORWARD IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT AFFECTS TO THE COAST, BUT VERY FEW SEEM READY TO APPLY THE SOLUTIONS IN THE STRIP OF TERRITORY THAT CORRESPONDS, THEY ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE SHORT TERM THAN ABOUT THE FUTURE THAT THE NEXT GENERATIONS EXPECT.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 7 URBAN DEVELOPMENT

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© Greenpeace/Armestre “We only have a planet and its our duty to take care of it, for us, for our children and the future generations. The European Union environmental legislation can help us to preserve our planet, but for that they have to be fully applied. Spain has a great biodiversity, we should do our best to protect those resources and we have to make a bigger effort to improve its level of application in the environmental legislation.” Margot Wallström, Ex- European Commission. Commissioner of Environment. 20 July 2004

The urban development of the coast Greenpeace considers that a new local model with the rest of the regional and cen- involves a chain of problems: contamina- financing system should be enforced, tral administrations´ help. tion, destruction of wetlands , the beach- allowing the town councils not to depend es are becoming narrower... The Spanish on building to obtain incomes, as it hap- Another measure announced by the Span- ecosystem of the coast is being weak- pens at the moment. That way we would ish Minister of Environment , Cristina Nar- ened. This phenomenon, unstoppable achieve having the local administrations bona, at the beginning of this year was since four decades is extending now to not considering anymore the coastal the intention to introduce a compulsory the last intact spots of the coast: Murcia, fringe as a source of quick incomes, with- report issued by the Hydrographic Con- Almería, Cádiz and Huelva. out worrying about the development pos- federations guaranteeing the water sup- sibilities that they leave to future genera- ply before starting urban development A lot of Laws, Plans and guidelines are tions. The mechanisms to change the cur- plan. That measure highlights the problem drawn up to try to stop the urban develop- rent system are very diverse and some of the urban development saturation suf- ment saturation of the coast. But those, have already been pointed by govern- fered by the Spanish coast. 34% of the although they are appropriately publi- ments as some of the ones from the Gen- first kilometer of Mediterranean coast is cized, very often are not followed by regu- eralitat, the autonomous government of built-up. Melilla, Málaga and Barcelona lations to allow their application, so those Catalonia, that has talked about establish- raises that number to a little above 50%. guidelines aren’t worth the paper they’re ing an “ecotax” to bring financing to the written on, they are worthless. municipalities, allowing to regenerate the One of the phenomena associated to the stagnant model of sun and beach and coast development boom is the never- The local administrations and the compa- beneficing the environmental conserva- ending increase in prices of the famous nies resort to the “shortage of” the infra- tion and protection. “beach apartments”. The prohibitive structures to claim new roads, more mari- prices of more “traditional” areas as the nas or golf courses. It is a situation that The Ministry of Environment announced Balearic Islands or the Costa del Sol, in arises from the autonomous self-gov- last summer a plan to protect the Spanish the Málaga region have transferred the erned organs lack of control of the urban coasts from housing development and demand to areas as Murcia and Almería, development in coastal municipalities. building proceedings in the coastal public where the prices are still “competitive”, property, that is, in the first 100 meters of even at the expense of destroying the last One of the subjects that we have to deal the seashore. This is a good measure, virgin coast stretches. with without delay is the financing meth- although insufficient since the saturation ods of the coast councils. The current of the Spanish coast strip. Actually, it isn’t model is based on obtaining a large per- something new, the 1988 Shores Act cent of the incomes through taxes and already obliges to comply that, but the real- fees related to the construction and hous- ity shows that there are hundreds of illegal ing (IBI –Spanish tax over immovable constructions situated in that narrow strip assets–, added values, planning permis- of land. The municipalities are the ones sions and land selling). This model more- that have the urban development legal over isn’t either transparent nor efficient. authority, and it’s up to them to change the

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 9 TOURISM

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© Greenpeace/Rull “The hotel and catering trade sector is going through a critical state, being accused of a predatory property development policy, the increasing competition of the emerging destinations and the fall of the foreign markets overnight and average number of stays. All this, added to the growth of a kind of offer that the current legislation does not provide for (11,5 million tourists take accommodation of this kind ), has consequently a drop of the profitability” José Guillermo Díaz Montañés. President of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist accommodation (CEHAT) Inauguration Speech of the Confederation Congress of April 2005

The tourist sector of “sun and beach ” is still in tion in the Balearic and Canary archipela- That tendency has to be reversed. We can’t crisis. This tourism model, traditionally asso- gos and the Comunidad of Valencia. go on building sacrificing our best resource: ciated to Spain, includes 75% of the Spanish the coast. There are other ways to obtain a coasts hotel and catering business offer. The Between 1990 and 2000, the Spanish pop- tourism of quality for the coastal towns that data shows that this model is not exhausted ulation increased 5%, but the urban devel- have no relation with those urban develop- yet but already stuck and obsolete. opment increased 25,4%, a number that ment “bombshell” that happen in the coast. shoots up as we approach to the coast. Cities as Barcelona or Bilbao, that have bet Years ago, the tourism market was experi- Tourism experts state that not even anoth- for a recovery and restoration get the best encing a demand situation, hotels and er more house should be allowed to be built qualifications of the tourists. apartments were filled up with people by in the coast if it doesn’t provide value to the themselves and the competition was soil. Some coast areas start going towards GOLF AND TOURISM between very similar prices. It was a situa- that direction, but in general, municipali- In Spain the minimal yearly consumption tion in which the unlimited growth predomi- ties are still eager for cement that turns of the totality of the golf courses is 30 nated over everything, no matter the into money in the municipal coffers. cubic hectometers of water. The projects resources consumption and the environ- planned increase an average amount of 21 ment degradation. Now we have an over From very different sectors the alarm has facilities a year (today there are 293) and supplying market, in which it is much more been raised about the over offer of tourist the estimation point that in ten years there difficult to obtain good occupation and prof- places supply in the Spanish coast. Vari- will be 500 golf courses in Spain, despite of itability. Now the companies of the sector ous experts in the tourist scene recognize the fact that today we are already talking themselves claim that the present model of that the small and medium tourist compa- about saturation and rivalry among the sun and beach should evolve towards nies are facing very difficult moments courses to attract customers. another one in which a sustainable environ- because of the excessive rise of the com- ment should take precedence over the rest. petitors. The full entry of property develop- Experts indicate that the tourist that plays ers in the tourism industry has generated golf spends 6 times more money than the Another outstanding information is that the a price war that has caused a fall of prof- one that doesn’t practice that sport. The key tourist sector data numbers keep pre- itability in the last three years of between data in this equation is that the golf player served thanks to the seasonal nature phe- 15% and 30% for 70% of the hotels and that is accommodated in hotels leaves a big nomenon alteration, which implies an tourist accommodations in Spain. amount of money where he spends the increasing tourists tendency of coming summer. However, the model that is spread- out of the summer period. The data analy- The report about tourism presented by the ing in almost all the Spanish coast associ- sis shows that between 2002 and 2004 Spanish Alliance for the Tourism Excellence ates building golf courses to houses and not five million tourists less visited Spain in the (Exceltur) warns about that problem point- to hotels and, according to the experts, it summer period1. Moreover, the average ing at concrete spots as the Costa del Sol doesn’t generate a sustainable economic occupation in the summer months accu- and the Costa Tropical in Andalusia, some model, as the water and land consumption, mulates five consecutive years of areas of Mallorca, Gran Canaria, Tenerife limited resources of the Spanish coasts, is decrease in despite of the “prices slowing and Fuerteventura, the Costa Brava, the far higher above the profit generated for that down“, that almost even bordered on defla- Costa Dorada and the Costa Calida. tourist sector.

(1) Considered from the month of June until the month of September both included.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 11 INSTALATIONS AND WO

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The Ministry of Environment is undertak- The beaches accretion are still undertaken ing some in order to recuperate the Span- in its majority from the economical per- ish coast, based on the respect of the spective forgetting the environmental environmental and landscape character- recovery component of the natural coastal istics of each zone. Nevertheless, not the ecosystems, the only future guarantee for same conscientiousness to finish with the Spanish sandy areas. illegal or harmful works for the Coastal public property is appreciated in all the The Ministry of Environment is still under- autonomous provinces. So, for example, taking sand extraction to the artificial whereas in the Balearic Islands they accretion of beaches, even when there are carry out demarcations2 that stop the official reports that denounce the damages works (Ses Fontanelles, Mallorca), in to marine flora and fauna species, as in the Andalusia roads in the Coastal public Almadrava beach, in Denia (Comunidad property are authorized (Chiclana and Valenciana), a Site of Comnunity Impor- San Fernando) and in Galicia they bet on tance for the Natura 2000 Network where filling up the coast with cement, seafront the Directorade for Coasts Authorities did- promenades-shaped. n’t elaborate a survey on the environmental impact and have obviated the damages The announcement last year by the Minis- on the Posidonia oceanica meadows. ter of Environment of not accreting artificially beaches that loose sand because of For the first year of government celebration, artificial causes (dykes, marinas...) was the Ministry of Environment announced taken as a declaration of war. The munici- that a Plan for the sustainable coasts man- palities, pressurized from the business- agement had started. That coasts plan, men, demand having their beaches in demanded by Greenpeace for years, can “good conditions” for the tourist season. not be delayed, as it is an essential tool Those demands forget that too much that will draw the guidelines proceedings building or the location of the seafronts in the 8.000 kilometers of Spanish coast are responsible for the loss of environ- and will avoid to a large extent the arbi- mental quality of the sandy areas and that trariness to which it is now exposed. artificial sand replacement aren’t a solution but an expensive temporary patch.

Those pressures to continue with the accretion of the beaches has brought the Ministry of Environment to maintain practically almost the same policy as always.

(2) Delimitation of the Coastal public property according to The Shores Act of July 28, 1988.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 13 PORTS

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© Greenpeace/Ceccaroni The Ministry of Development is responsible Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Canary for the coastal ecosystems degradation. Islands), fish and shellfish shoal destruction in Galicia and Barcelona (Catalonia), The Ports Law envisages that any port enormous dredging of submarine areas for enlargement has to be defrayed by the ports stuffing as in Bilbao (Basque Coun- port authority funds. That has brought try) or Gijón (Asturias), port installations that the Spanish coast that is still free of enlargement plans that destroy kilome- building is becoming a dock reserve, ters of virgin coast as in Pasajes (Basque that’s how port administrations are trad- Country), building new ports without any ing given its lack of liquidity. The new justification as the ones of A Coruña ports as the Exterior Port of A Coruña not (Punta Langosteira Exterior Port) or the only have none environmental viability, south port of Tenerife (Industrial Port of but neither economic, but they are built Granadilla). This lack of management thanks to the European generosity and from the Development Department, fos- the huge building businesses devised by tered by the Ports Law reform, is more- city councils and port authorities. Ports over approved by the laxity shown by the finance their enlargements gathering Ministry of Environment and autonomous large stretches of public coastline where region administrations to protect and pre- they do and undo their own way without serve the environmental and economic respecting the environmental regulations national resources of the Spanish coast. and then they sell to the highest bidder without the environment organization act- ing anyhow to stop one of the biggest drama of the Spanish coast.

The Ministry of Development, responsible for the ports of the State, didn’t still present a management plan for all the ports. That fragmentary policy brings each Port Authority to undertake a race on their own in order to get financial viability for their installations, fighting against the rest and without paying any attention to the social, economic and environmental consequences of their proceedings. The result can be easily seen: scandalous property operations in

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 15 POLLUTION

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© Greenpeace/Armestre Dumping to the sea despite of being forbid- municipalities didn’t respect the period den by the Shores Act3 is still happening. imposed by the Guidelines about urban Recklessness growth of many develop- sewage in order to establish an adequate ments in the coast without the necessary treatment for the sewage of towns with a sewage water treatment installations is population over 15.000 inhabitants, which usual in the coast towns, that doesn’t usual- has brought about the European Commis- ly consider as part of water treatment plans sion decision to initiate sanction process the massive influx of tourists during the against Spain summer period. Far from solving the problem, the persons responsible for the sani- In view of that situation, the Ministry of tary plans of the city council, use that lack Environment should devote its efforts and of foresight, that should be punished and budgets to improve the sewage treatment corrected, as an excuse to justify the dump- that threatens beaches and coasts in sev- ing, and they usually contribute with resig- eral spots of the coast or to repair the hun- nation as only answer when faced with the dreds of underwater outlets that periodi- neighbours and tourists complaints. cally fills the coveted Spanish sandy areas with sewage. New sewage treatment plants are built and the existing ones are enlarged and repaired, The annual report about the quality of the but at a rhythm much slower than the bathing waters issued each year by the EU what's necessary, not even to comply with emphasizes that in the year 2004, 17 beach- the European regulation in water treat- es with pollution problems that didn’t satisfy ment, but to correct the coastal pollution the European requirement were found . In serious problems. four of them bathing is not permitted.

The period given by the European Commis- The situation of the Spanish coasts is sion to the municipalities with a popula- serious and, at least because of the huge tion over 2.000 inhabitants to be equipped benefits they bring, they deserve the with secondary sewage treatment plants effort of preserving and protecting them ends this current year. The real situation, from being destroyed. Greenpeace offers six months before the limit date, can be its support and full collaboration to all described as catastrophic. Big coastal the ones that commit for the recovery of municipalities as Algeciras (Andalusia) the public nature of the beaches, the lack those systems and the situation defense of the natural spaces, –dunes, worsens as the size of the town goes marshes, cliffs, estuaries...– and the down. In July 2004 the European Commis- natural and economical regeneration of sion announced that almost 200 Spanish our damaged coast .

(3) Article 25.1 of the Shores Act of July 28, 1988.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 17 ANDALUSIA

THE VAST ANDALUSIAN COAST LIVES PRISONER OF THE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY, AN ECONOMIC SECTOR THAT IS STARTING TO STRANGLE THE TOURIST SECTOR AND THAT HAS DEPLETED A BIG PART OF ITS NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS FROM ITS BEST LURE: ITS NATURE AND BEACHES.

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The regional Government of Andalusia, the Building in the coast strip goes on at an impacts that they have in the coast spaces Junta de Andalucía, is largely responsible unstoppable rhythm. Practically exhausted, are greater that the benefits that they for the lack of urban development control the ground of the coast of Málaga4 (in Fuen- report to the Andalusian society, and so that occurs in its coast. A delay of 20 years girola or Torremolinos 100% of its ground they are unsustainable. in the drafting of plans that would deter- has been developed), the urban develop- mine the coastal building development has ments transfer to the coasts of Granada, Despite the bad tourist statistics, new hotels allowed municipalities to develop its coast Almería, Cádiz, and Huelva. The natural park are being built in the coast. Only in the Costa without any territorial coordination, with of Cabo de Gata-Níjar (Almería), that is in the del Sol (Málaga), and despite last year it had the result that we all know. The modifica- Ministry of Environment list of candidates its lowest tourist occupation level since the tions announced by the Junta de Andalucia to become a National Park, is currently one year 2000 (69,39%) there are 29 projects up have to start without delay. Likewise, the of the natural spaces more beset by urban and running which will add 2.681 hotel various sub-regional program of coast development projects. rooms to the over 90.000 already existing in planning have to come out urgently. Until that stretch of the Málaga coast. then, The Junta de Andalucía should show The general recognition that cities as Mar- that its intentions are not only a mere dec- bella (Málaga), El Puerto de Santa María Anyway, building and tourism are the laration and should impose an urban devel- (Cádiz), Barbate (Cádiz) or Almuñécar greater source of secure incomes for the opment moratorium. Equally all the demoli- (Granada) are seized with urban develop- city councils, specially the coastal ones. It tion sentences on the illegal housing devel- ment speculation is a poor help for the is so necessary to redistribute the public opment and buildings have to be obeyed. tourism industry that sells worse and resources that will ensure the city coun- worse the saturation and the lack of con- cils the necessary mechanisms to stop According to data from the Spanish Nation- sideration towards the natural spaces. depending on the money that cementing al Institute of geography 59% of the Andalu- the coast provides and that will stimulate sian coast has already been built and the The two main engine of the Andalusian the environment preservation and the existence of four thousand proceedings economy, building and tourism, are close- sustainable development. about development infractions opened in ly related. They consume the main the urban development offices of the resource, the ground, and they go together The over hotel supply and the excessive coast, indicates that the majority of the with an excessive consumption of energy second house residency in the coast does coastal towns and cities are not betting on and water. The consumption of those three not play in the Andalusian tourism industry a development compatible with nature. basic resources along with the negative favor. Experts in that subject have alerted

(4) According to informations given by the National Geographic Institute, Málaga has 51% of its coast developed.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 19 about the fact that the sector has been taken by storm by promoters and construc- THE ILLEGAL MARBELLA´S TOWN PLANNING tion companies that threaten to ruin the ini- tiatives of respect towards the coast start- There isn’t any urban development situation similar to the one that occurs in ed by the administrations. Marbella, where there are 20.000 houses in an illegal situation. The regional government, La Junta de Andalucía, Board of Andalusia has appealed against 370 The golf courses and the marinas have to building permissions, 110 of them correspond to the last city council period. La be considered as well from a territorial Junta denounces that licenses are given by administrative silence. The sentences point of view. Their requirements have to that pronounce illegal developing permissions are systematically appealed against be defined founded on an economic and by the city council. Judicial sentences aren’t upheld either. environmental rigorous criteria base. Until those guidelines aren’t drawn up, not even one more project can be approved. Despite the good statistics obtained by the Pressures for continuing with artificial Andalusian beaches regarding the bathing BEACHES WITH A BAD BATHING accretion of the Andalusian beaches still waters' quality, dumping to the sea contin- WATERS’ QUALITY carry on. The municipalities forced by ues although they are forbidden by the businessmen, demand having its beach- Shores Act, fostered by the recklessness (Information drawn from the European Commission’s report on the bathing es in “good conditions” for the tourist growth of many urban developments in waters quality)III season, forgetting that the heavy devel- the coast, without the necessary installa- opment excesses, the marinas or the tions for treating the sewage. Sixty kilome- · Beach of El Pozuelo. Almuñécar. wrong location of promenades are ters of the coast of Málaga lacks of com- Granada. responsible for the loss of environmental prehensive cleaning up.I Five municipali- · Beach of El Cable. Motril. Granada. quality of its sandy areas. Only in the ties of the coast of Cádiz dump 20 million · Beach of Campo de Golf. Málaga. beaches of Málaga, 150.000 cubic meters cubic meters a year to the sea without any · Beach of Venus-Majadilla. Marbella. of sand will be added. kind of treatment: Chipiona, Vejer, Barbate, Málaga. Tarifa and Algeciras. Four other towns have The sewage cleaning up plan, with stipu- sewage treatment systems that doesn’t BEACHES WITH BATHING WATERS lated periods clearly defined by an Euro- work properly: El Puerto de Santa María, WHICH QUALITY LEVEL DECREASED pean regulation, is still the last of the Puerto Real, San Roque and Los Barrios.II ON 2004 administration worries, as it doesn’t act in Another Andalusian coastal source of pol- a determined way in order to eradicate lution is the industrial area of Huelva, one · Beach of Palmones. Los Barrios. this serious pollution and deterioration of of most environment damaged spots of Cádiz. its best tourist resource: the beaches. the Andalusian coast. · Beach of Río San Pedro. Puerto Real. Cádiz. · Beach of Guadarranque. San Roque. Cádiz. · Beach of El Pozuelo. Almuñécar. Granada. · Beach of La Charca. Salobreña. Granada. · Beach of Torreblanca (Carvajal). Fuengirola. Málaga. · Beach of Campo de Golf. Málaga. · Beach of Venus-Majadilla. Marbella. Málaga. · Beach of Palazo. Nerja. Málaga. © Greenpeace/Armestre

20 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

1 2 3 4 26 25 24

5 23 6

20 21 18 22 7 19 8 17 9 15 16

10 11 14 12 13 Huelva 10. Vejer: lack of sewage treatment plant: 18. Huelín beach (Málaga).13 kiosks built 1. Canela beach. Isla Canela. Ayamonte: sewage dumping. at 50 meters from the shore. sewage dumping. 11. Barbate: lack of sewage treatment 19. Málaga. Campo de Golf beach: bad 2. Huelva. Industrial area: serious plant: sewage dumping. quality of its bathing waters. pollution problems. 12. Tarifa. Its urban development plan 20. Torrox. New marina. 3. Palos de la Frontera. Mazagón. involves the occupation of 100% of land Dumping to the beach. non protected by the law. The town is Granada 4. Moguer. Pine forest destruction next to lacking of sewage treatment plant: 21. Almuñécar. 29.000 new houses built. the National Park of Doñana to build sewage dumping. El Pozuelo´s beach: bad quality of its hotels, houses and a golf course. 13. Strait of Gibraltar Natural Park. bathing waters. Archaeological Interpreting Centre of 22. Motril. El Cable´s beach: bad quality Cádiz Baelo Claudia. Landscape affront. of its bathing waters. 5. Sanlúcar de Barrameda. 6.000 illegal 14. Algeciras: lacking of sewage houses uncovered. treatment plant: sewage dumping. Almería 6. Chipiona: the town is lacking of 23. Aguamarga. Níjar (Natural Park of sewage treatment. Camarón, Cruz del Málaga Cabo de Gata): development of 48 Mar and Regla beaches endures directly 15. Marbella. 20.000 new illegal houses hectares. the dumping. built. Chapas, Pinillo, Las Cañas, Bajadilla, 24. Carboneras (Natural Park of Cabo de 7. El Puerto de Santa María. 3.000 illegal Venus and Fontanilla beaches: polluted Gata). Algarrobico´s beach: 8 hotels, houses uncovered. Disproportionate from sewage. Venus-Majadilla´s beach: 1.500 apartments and a golf course. urban development plans. Bad quality of its bathing waters. 25. Mojácar. Macenas: urban 8. San Fernando. Building up a circular 16. Mijas: 23.000 new houses built. New development in a virgin area. Golf course. route, Ronda del Estero, encroaching marina. 26. Vera: 30.000 new houses built. upon public lands and waters. 17. Benalmádena. Malapesquera, Santa Quitapellejos´ beach. Project to install a 9. Chiclana. 8.000 illegal houses Ana and Castillo de Bil-bil beaches: tuna faeading farm. uncovered. circular route encroaching polluted from sewage. upon public lands and waters. DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 21 ASTURIAS THE SO CALLED GREEN COAST AND SOLD AS “NATURAL PARADISE” SUFFERS THE “NATIONAL PHENOMENON” OF COAST HARASSMENT THAT OTHER REGIONS HAVE ALREADY LIVED, SPECIALLY THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION. THE GOOD PRESERVATION STATE AND THE LOW PRICES OF THE COAST LAND, ACT AS A LURE FOR CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES THAT FAR AWAY FROM BEEN INTERESTED IN PRESERVING ITS NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS DREAM ABOUT KEEPING ON GETTING RICHER AT THE COAST DESTRUCTION EXPENSES.

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The construction companies have trans- tribute to affect the coast characteristics mediocre defense of the fishing resources ferred their interests to the Cantabrian more than arranging the coast. done by the Fishing department of the coast, which puts in danger that stretch of autonomous Government. land, especially spots like Llanes or Ribade- Tourism doesn’t seem to have recovered sella. The current regional government, the from the black oil slick caused by the oil The extraction of 22 million cubic meters Principado de Asturias, is still in time to tanker Prestige in front of the Galician of sand for the enlargement of the port of establish the tourist and development crite- coast in November 2002. Three years later El Musel in Gijón will also bring a serious ria that will allow to keep the coast in a good the foreigner tourists (most of them Eng- disturbance of the marine natural habitat. state of conservation, ensuring that way a lish and German) are still reluctant to visit source of social, economic and environ- the coast of Asturias. Serious surveys, The pollution incidents have to disappear mental wealth for the future generations. either at the regional level as about the oil from the coast of Asturias. This coast is still slick affected coast, considered as a whole, suffering the lack of sewage treatment. Urban development and tourism are the showing the real situation are still greatly greater sources of secure incomes for the missed and should be a priority for the Min- coastal towns and cities councils. A redis- istry of Environment. The Ministry of Devel- BEACHES WITH BATHING WATERS tribution of the public resources allowing opment, from its side, should invest in WHICH QUALITY LEVEL DECREASED the councils to fight in a determined way human and material resources with regard ON 2004 for an environmental and sustainable to marine security. Without doubt, both (Information drawn from the European development is necessary. measures would be the best advertising Commission’s report on the bathing campaign possible for those coasts. waters quality) The Asturian Coast Urban Planning (POLA) · Beach of San Juan de Nieva. has the risk of remaining as a document of Sand extraction from an underwater deposit Castrillón. minimal use, exceeded by the Administra- of sand in Cabo Vidío taken to artificial accre- · Beach of Salinas. Castrillón. tion’s permissiveness, as it is possible to tion of the Salinas and San Juan’s beaches · Beach of Santamaría del Mar. observe a parallelism between the building will have consequences still to determine on Castrillón. works started and the increasing number one of the richest fishing grounds of the · Beach of la Isla. Colunga. of new developments in the coast munici- coast of Asturias. The lack of the Ministry of · Beach of La Griega. Colunga. palities. Proceedings putted forward in the Environment’s foresight on the effects that · Beach of Poo. Llanes. POLA, as setting up park-beaches, con- this will bring is unacceptable and so is the

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 23 THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

3 1 2 4 9

5 6 7 8

1. Cabo Vidío. Extraction of half a million 5. Ribadesella: construction of 9.000 cubic meters of dry goods for the new houses. artificial accretion of the Salinas and San 6. Beach of La Huelga (Llanes): Juan beaches damaging the fishing developing a park-beach aggressive with shoals. the natural environment area 2. Cudillero. Project for building a golf characteristics. course with hotels and urban 7. Toronda beach (Niembro): developing a development at less than 500 meters park-beach aggressive with the natural away from a cliff. environment area characteristics. 3. Gozón. Beaches of Bañugues and San 8. Llanes. Urban development without Pedro de Antrómero: works that affect taking in account the requirements for archaeological sites. sewage treatment. 4. Gijón. Port of El Musel. Extraction of 22 9. Natural gas prospecting in front of the million cubic meters of dry goods for its Asturian coast. enlargement.

24 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA CANTABRIA

MOREOVER, CANTABRIA HAS NEVER SHOWN ANY SPECIAL CARE ABOUT PROTECTING ITS COAST. THE PRICE OF ITS LAND, LOWER THAN THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST, TRANSFERS CONSTRUCTIONS COMPANIES TO THIS AREA. THE COAST OF CANTABRIA, AS THE COAST OF ASTURIAS, SUFFERS A WIDESPREAD PHENOMENON: “WANTED COAST FOR DEVELOPING”.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 25

Cantabria, unlike its neighbors from the damages that it might cause to its Asturias and Basque Country, does not coastal ecosystem. The Ministry of Envi- BEACHES WITH BATHING WATERS appreciate the wealth that its coast brings, ronment has already informed about the WHICH QUALITY LEVEL DECREASED which has led to irrational policies that economic and environmental risks of the ON 2004 have allowed outrageous developments on Cantabrian Marina Plan, which main proj- (Information drawn from the European its coast, fostered with the slack attitude of ects are located in Laredo, Castro Urdiales, Commission’s report on the bathing the Ministry of Environmental that has Santoña, Colindres, Pedreña, Suances, waters quality) demarcated only 10% of the Coastal public San Vicente de la Barquera and Comillas. property of its coast. · Beach of la Magdalena. Santander.

The approval of the Urban planning for the Coast (POL) of Cantabria in October 20045, which finality is to protect the coast wealth, means although, opening the door to all kinds of proceedings that have no relation with protecting and preserving the coast. The municipalities from the coast carry on with excessive development plans, as the case of San Vicente de la Barquera.

In almost all the coast of Cantabria, from Castro Urdiales until San Vicente de la Bar- quera, there are houses being built for the residential tourism. The opening of new highways has boosted new constructions.

One of the biggest problems that the coast © Greenpeace/Caballero of Cantabria has to face is the development of new marinas. Cantabria aspires to become a reference for the yacht and nautical tourism, just as the rest of the coast regions, without showing any worry about

(5) Law 2/2004, from the 27 of September, of the Coastal Urban Development Plan. BOE mum. 259. 27/10/04.

26 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

5 4 2 3 7 8 9 1 6 10 11

1. San Vicente de la Barquera: urban 6. Somo. Illegal pier. development speculation. Exterior 7. Piélagos. Portío y Cerrías beaches: marina project. polluted from sewage. 2. Cóbreces. Luaña beach: polluted from 8. Ribamontán. Loredo beach: polluted sewage. from sewage. 3. Suances: new Marina with 1.135 9. Santoña. Marina that invades the moorings. Concha and Cuchía beaches: protected area of the marshes. polluted from sewage. 10. Laredo: Marina with 1.100 moorings. 4. Miengo: urban development that 11. Castro Urdiales: new Marina. breaks the Shores Act. Usgo beach: Brazomar beach: polluted from sewage. polluted from sewage. 5. Santa Cruz de Bezana. Amía beach: polluted from sewage.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 27 CATALONIA A REPORT THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, GENERALITAT DE CATALUNYA, IS IN POSSESSION OF , REVEALS THAT THE CATALONIAN COAST BRINGS YEARLY 8.000 MILLIONS EUROS FROM TOURISM TO WHICH IT IS NECESSARY TO ADD SOME OTHER 120 MILLION AS A RESULT FROM THE FISHING CATCHES. THE COAST, MOREOVER, PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT FOR 300.000 PERSONS AND BRINGS 13% OF THE GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT OF CATALONIA. THE REPORT WARNS: “THE ECOSYSTEMS FROM THE COAST AND THE SEA HAVE SUFFERED A GREAT MODIFICATION BECAUSE OF THE HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN THAT STRIP OF LAND, WHICH WILL LEAD TO CONSEQUENCES AT SHORT AND LONG TERM FOR SOCIETY.”IV

28 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA

The coast of Catalonia is been highly cy of allowing development in each meter delay, not permitting the coast to be filled modified by the humans, which brings of its coast. with cement, and being destroyed without severe problems of erosion on its coasts bringing any benefits to society. Experts and beaches. The regional government The tourism oversupply starts affecting claim that we must keep a curb on these from Catalonia seems tobe disposed to the sector. The official statistics show that coastal urban development expansion stop this destructive tendency and it has the current situation is unsustainable: the policies that have saturated the coast, announced its decision to adopt some number of hotels occupation is poor destroying the environmental wealth and measures in order to solve problems, but despite the fall of the prices and it is nec- reducing the charm of those towns. those are limited. essary to resort to options like the “all Regarding this subject, the regional gov- included” one, which produces much less ernment should continue with the morato- At the end of May the Urban Development benefits than the quality tourism. rium declared on the development of new Management Plan for the Coastal System sports installations, that finishes this year. has been passed. The regulation establish- The Delta of the river Ebro (Tarragona) is one es a protection regime for non-developable of the few Mediterranean areas free from the One of the solutions pointed is the modifi- land located at 500 meters from the sea urban saturation imposed by the tourism cation of the municipalities financing, as shore and it affects 23.500 hectares of the model of sun and beach. Although, that natu- they currently obtain the major part of coast corresponding to 50 areas of the ral space, included in the Ministry of Envi- their incomes thanks to building licenses. coast6 from a total of 211 plots of land con- ronment list of candidates to become a An ecotax was pointed by the local gov- sidered initially. This proceeding is without National Park, had to withstand in the past ernment to restructure the tourist sector any doubt positive, but very limited, as it periods the harassment of development of Catalonia and to allow the city councils focuses on coast spots that don’t have an companies that, supported by the city coun- to take care of its coast without abandon- approved urban planning. cils of that area, are settling in the area. The ing the possibility of obtaining economic current plans talk about 5.000 new houses benefits despite doing that, it would bring Greenpeace considers that a plan for the intended for second residence, which will support for a high quality tourism whole coast of Catalonia should be under- duplicate or triplicate the current population respectful with the natural resources in taken in order to recover or maintain the in many of the towns of the Delta. which it settles. quality of its environment and its landscape, over the development plans of the The regional administrations of Catalonia municipalities that continue their tenden- have to take care of that situation without

(6) The complete list is published on the Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya num. 4254. 05/11/04.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 29 © Greenpeace/Ceccaroni

Erosion in the coast of Catalonia is very alonian Water Agency, some spots of the worrying. Dozens of beaches loose sand Catalonian coast still register dumping on and enlargement each year. This year, its beaches. Only in the coast of only in the coast of Tarragona, the Min- Barcelona, 136 pollution incidents were istry of Environmental will artificially registered during the past period. regenerate 17 beaches and in the city of Barcelona two million cubic meters will be destined to the beaches of the city, in the meantime another dozen of beaches are BEACHES WITH BATHING WATERS waiting for the coveted sand to attract WHICH QUALITY LEVEL DECREASED tourists, without worrying about giving a ON 2004 solution to the real problems that pre- (Information drawn from the European vents the sediments from arriving to the Commission’s report on the bathing V coast. In Gerona, the erosion problems waters quality) has been transfered to its cliffs, several of which suffer from collapse problems. · Beach of Castelldefels. Barcelona. · Beach of Pla de l’Os. Premiá de Mar. New golf courses or marinas construction Barcelona. have to be stopped. Consuming resources · Beach of Sant Sebastia. Sitges. such valuable and limited as land and Barcelona. water, the pollution that those infrastructures generate and the landscape transformation that it entails, have to be included in the cost of those installations.

The marinas are in a great part responsible for the loss of sand of the Catalonian beaches, as well as the disappearance of the shipping shoals of the Catalonian coast.

Despite the improvement of the quality of the bathing waters reported by the Cat-

30 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

Gerona 1. El Port de la Selva. Excessive urban development Plans. 2. Llança (Empordá). Project for building houses and a hotel in Cap Ras. 1 2 3. Roses. Excessive urban development 3 Plans. 4 4. San Pere Pescador (Empordá). 5 Residential marina with 350 berths and 500 houses. 5. Vilanera (L’Escala). Golf course with 6 327 houses associated. 7 6. Castell Beach (Palamós): polluted from sewage. 7. San Pol Beach: polluted from sewage. 8

9 Barcelona

8. Pineda de Mar. Continued pollution to 10 the beach because of underwater outlet. 11 9. Arenys de Mar beach: polluted from 12 sewage. 10. Badalona. Strip of coast polluted by 13 waste chemical materials from the Cros 14 company. 11. Barcelona. Marina Forum 2004. Shipping shoal affected. Authorization of a zoological in the Coastal public property. 15 12. Beach of Larga beach. Vilanova i la Geltrú. Urban development in floodable area.

Tarragona 13. Torredembarra. Project for building houses in Coastal public property. 14. Salou. Ponent, Vilafortuny, l'Esquerol and Sant Pere beaches: polluted from sewage. 15. Delta of the river Ebro. Huge urban development projects in its towns and cities.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 31 COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA

THE COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA HOLDS ONE OF THE GREATEST LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT IN ITS STRIP OF COAST, AND IT SEEMS TO BE DISPOSED TO HOLDING IT. OVERALL, IT HAS 33% OF ITS FIRST KILOMETER OF COAST DEVELOPED. ALICANTE WITH 49,3%, IS ABOVE THAT PERCENT WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST AVERAGE OF FIRST COASTAL KILOMETER DEVELOPED OF THE SPANISH COASTS, FOLLOWED BY VALENCIA WITH 28,7% AND CASTELLON WITH 23,5%.

32 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA

The urban development Law from this unsustainable consumption of land and region didn’t pass the European Commis- water resources. Despite all that, the sion exam that investigates its lack of regional government encourages promot- transparency and arbitrariness. An embar- ers to build new courses and promises to rassing situation that shows the huge subsidize with funds aimed for natural interests that take priority in the coast of care purposes, a bet difficult to describe. the Province of Valencia. The European Commission has brought disciplinary Neither are respected the coastal natural sanction because of the lack of trans- spaces. The humid areas of the coast of parency and arbitrariness in the applica- the Valencia region are constantly tion of the laws regulating Urban develop- harassed by several urban projects for ment activity (LRAU)7. Brussels has ques- development. Fifteen of those projects, tioned the way some urban development that have the towns and cities councils plans were putted out to tender by the approval, have been sent to court. local government of the Generalitat Valen- ciana and it has recommended to impose a The information about the tourist sec- moratorium on urban development until tor stagnation given by official organs the deficiencies found would be repaired. does not seem to make any impression This moratorium has not been adoptedVI. in the administrations, that doesn’t show any worry to take care of a dam- Urban development goes on in the coast. In aged strip of coast that attracts less the south of Valencia 10.000 new houses and less tourism. The Comunidad Valen- will be built, meanwhile Castellón will draw ciana registered last month of July a to the market 180.000 houses in the next drop of 10% in the hotel occupation, the fifteen years and Alicante, with 50% of its highest in all Spain according to the coast built, is still authorizing new projects. State Department for Tourism. The promoters and building firms' assault to the Likewise, there is an excessive rise of the tourist sector is ruining the prospects amount of golf courses, that represent an for the sector’s future.

(7) In July 2004 the platform No more Urban Development Outrages (AUN) reported a formal complaint against the laws regulating Urban development activity in Valencia because it breaks the environmental regulation about public contracts, and the articles 43 to 55 of the European Union Treaty and the main principles pointed by the European Tribunal of Justice, particularly the principle of treatment equality among the tender agents that apply for the development of a particular area.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 33 © Greenpeace/Magán

Year by year it is possible to observe how accretion of the beaches, a provisional the influx of tourists that leave benefits and very expensive solution. BEACHES WITH BATHING WATERS falls and how a massive influx of the so WHICH QUALITY LEVEL DECREASED called by experts “anti-economic tourist The pollution problems are still present in ON 2004 ”increases: tourists accommodated in several spots of the coast of the Comu- (Information drawn from the European their second residencies and that virtual- nidad Valenciana. There are insufficient Commission’s report on the bathing ly doesn’t leave benefits to the hotels and sewage systems, which causes, from time waters quality) catering sector. to time, that the towns sewage end up pol- luting the beaches. · Beach of Punta del Raset. Dénia. All is permitted in the name of the America's Alicante. Cup. The enlargement projects or the con- · Beach of Sud. Peñíscola. Castellón. struction of new marinas are absolutely · Beach of Rabdells. Oliva. Valencia. excessive, but the administrations go for- · Beach of Mareny de Baranquetes. ward with those despite the growing oppo- Sueca. Valencia. sition of the citizens, that have understood · Beach of La Llastra. Sueca. Valencia. before its ruling classes that if they want to · Beach of les Palmeretes. Sueca. preserve their beaches they can’t go on fill- Valencia. ing the coast with cement. · Beach of Cabanyas. Valencia. · Beach of la Malva-Rosa. Valencia. The erosion of the coast has become evi- dent through the loss of sand from the beaches and it causes an increasing problem of intensity and magnitude in the coast of the Comunidad Valenciana. According to a survey from Polytechnic University of Valencia, since 1947, the beaches of Valencia have lost more than two million cubic meters of sand fundamentally because of the construction of barriers that stop the sediment from arriving. The solution mainly taken from the Ministry of Environment is the artificial

34 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

Castellón 1. Peñíscola. New marina. 2. Cabanes. 20.000 new houses developed.

3. Oropesa-Cabanes. Development of the 1 “Mundo Ilusión Costa Azahar (Hopeful Word Azahar Coast)”: Leisure Park, 26.000 houses and 3 new golf courses. 2 3 4 5 4. Oropesa. Three new golf courses. 6

5. Benicassim. New marina that will 7 affect the beach of Voramar. 6. Park of the Coast beach of Pinar de

Castellón. Infrastructures instead of 8 recovery. 7. Burriana. 100% development of its coast in the last few years. 8. Moncofa. 30.000 new houses developed. 9

Valencia 9. Cup of America. Enlargement of the 10 11 Port of Valencia that will affect to the 12 beaches of Arenas and Malva-rosa.

10. Albufera de Valencia Natural Park. 13 14 Modification of the regulations for 15 building inside. Will be affected by the 16 17 18 water transfer of the rivers Júcar- 19 Vinalopó. 20 11. Sueca. Beach of Motilla. Constant pollution. 21 12. Cullera. Construction of 33 skyscrapers, 2 hotels of 42 floors and a 22 new marina.

13. Tavernes de la Valldigna. Un- 23 protection of 1 million square meters of the coast for urban development. 14. Xeraco. Declassification of agricultural lands for urban development. 15. Gandía. Enlargement of the marina of this town to triplicate its berths. Beach of 19. Xábia. The enlargement of the l’Ahuir: un-protection for development. marina affects the beach of La Grava. 16. Oliva. Development of 26.000 m2 of 20. Benisa. 34 partial plans for its north beach. development. 17. Marjal de Pego-Oliva. Outstanding 21. Altea. Enlargement of the town’s sentence for urban development. marina. enlargement of the marina “Luis Campomanes” breaking all the Alicante environmental requirements. 18. Dénia. Enlargement of the town’s 22. La Vila Joiosa. Illegal building of a marina with 1.000 new berths. Artificial hotel in the first strip of coast. accretion of the sand causing 23. Alicante. Beach of Albufereta. environmental damages. Continuous pollution since a decade.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 35 GALICIA

THE GALICIAN COAST IS SUFFERING ONE OF THE WORST DEGENERATIVE PROCESS IN ALL THE SPANISH COAST.

36 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA

The urban development in the Galician accompanied by golf courses. The role of coast is characterized by the anarchy in the the Ministry of Environmental seems to building and the slack attitude of the admin- contribute to that tendency, as during the istration that has contributed to a large last year a huge amount of works have extent to the landscape degradation. The been authorized in that coast and are con- regional government of Galicia, Xunta de tributing to affect the natural spaces char- Galicia, has modified the Land Law in order acteristics of that Atlantic coast strip in an to get the regulatory measures as regards irreversible way. urban development even slacker. Among the most criticized are the General Program The transformation that the Costa da Morte of Town Planning of Vigo and the one of is experiencing after the Prestige catastro- Marín, that have collected thousands of phe provides tragic evidence of the little amendments because of how they will value that the administrations give to the affect to the cities and because of the disap- preservation and recovery of a coast, pearance of green spaces it will entail. unique by its natural characteristics. Each day new building projects come up, new The tourism “boom” in the north coast is a roads are built in virgin areas or new mari- fact. Attracted by the low prices, the coasts nas are developed, but none investment is of Galicia are getting filled with projects done to finish with the pollution caused by taken in charge by the same property devel- the lack of sewage treatment plants. opers that have flooded the Mediterranean coast during the last three past decades. The development or enlargement of new ports have direct consequences on the The years of lax attitude in its care, result- beaches stability and on the rich shellfish ing in either land and water pollution inci- fishing banks located around. Despite all dents have been substituted by a new ten- that, the number of marinas are still dency: filling its coast with cement marina- increasing in the coast of Galicia. shaped and allowing the development of a great number of houses built on its coasts

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 37 © Greenpeace

In just one year one thousand berths have not have a sewage treatment plant and The future of Galician coast must involve been added to the 4.000 existing and the the one of Vigo doesn’t fulfil the European the administrations, companies and citi- “Plan Estratéxico 2004-2007 de Portos de regulations. One of the coast areas that zens care commitment. If the current ten- Galicia” (Regional strategic Plan for Gali- suffer the biggest pollution problems of dency goes on, we would be assisting to cian Ports 2004-2007 ) establishes that the Galician coast is the Rías of Vigo, where the destruction of one of the most beauti- they will get up to 14.389 in two years. the industrial dumping without treatment ful and wild coasts of the whole Iberian Those facts have brought about the Provin- and the towns and cities poor sewage Peninsula. cial Federation of Fishermen guilds to ask cleaning up are usual in the area. the Xunta de Galicia for a revision of the plans made for the construction of new ports and the rías filling, because of the BEACHES WITH BATHING WATERS WHICH QUALITY LEVEL DECREASED damages that those plans are causing to ON 2004 the fishing sector. (Information drawn from the European Commission’s report on the bathing waters quality)

The oil slick caused by the Prestige is still producing consequences on the coast of Pontevedra A Coruña Galicia that are still showing evidence of · Beach of A Ribeira. Baiona. · Beach of O Reiro. Arteixo. tar in some spots of Carnota, Malpica, Car- · Beach of Salguerón. Cangas. · Beach of Valcobo. Arteixo. ballo, Camariñas, Muxía, Cee, Fisterra, · Beach of Raxo. Poio. · Beach of Barrañán. Arteixo. Corrubedo or the Illas Atlánticas National · Beach of Cesantes. Redondela. · Beach of A Salsa. Arteixo. Park, in a surface over 60.000 square · Beach of Samil. Vigo. · Beach of Gandario. Bergondo. meters. The reopening of the catastrophe · Beach of Mende. Vigo. · Beach of O Pedrido. Bergondo. investigation sub-commission in the Gali- · Beach of Fontaiña. Vigo. · Beach of Cabanas. Chamoso. cian parliament by a court order has · Beach of A Sobreira. Vigo. · Beach of Area Longa. Camariñas. brought to light the environmental conse- · Beach of Arou. Camariñas. quences of the spilling, that the Galician Lugo · Beach of Ría de Baldaio. Carballo. coast is still suffering almost three years · Beach of A Rapadoira. Foz. · Beach of Almieras. Fene. later and that the experts extend 10 to 15 · Beach of Boa Pequeña. Noia. more years. · Beach of Taramancos. Noia. · Beach of Rons. O Grove. The major part of the Galician rías are lack- · Beach of Centroña. Pontedeume. ing of comprehensive cleaning up net- works. Cities as A Coruña and Ferrol does

38 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

17 21 18 15 20 16 19 14 13 12

11 10

8 9

4 5 6 7 3

2 1

Pontevedra 8. O Xufre (Illa de Arousa). Enlargement 17. Bens (Coruña). Repsol company 1. Canido. Project for the construction of of the marina. dumping. a marina that will seriously affect the 18. A Coruña. Lacks of a sewage beaches of the town. A Coruña treatment plant. 2. A Lagoa Marina (Vigo). Enlargement 9. Castiñeiras. Attempts of development 19. Exterior Port of A Coruña. Destruction and construction in the public lands and in the public lands and waters. of a strip of virgin coast in Punta waters. 10. Cabo Touriñán. Food Technological Langosteira. 3. Bueu. New marina. Park (agricultural farm) located in a Site 20. Miño. Urban development , marina 4. Ría of Pontevedra. Despite the expiry of Community Importance. and golf course. date of the concession to occupy the 11. Muxía. New marina. 21. Estuary inlet of Ares. Development public lands and waters the cellulose 12. Road Traba-Camelle in a virgin area. project of “Super-port Ártabros”. company Ence-Elnosa doesn’t want to 13. Laxe. Lake of Traba. Un-protection for 22. Ferrol. Lacks of a sewage treatment leave. urban development. plant. 5. Port of Marín. The enlargement has 14. Port of Corme. The enlargement affected the fishing shoals from the area. planned would affect the shoals of the 6. Sanxenxo. Urban development area. Saturation. Destruction of a coastal pine 15. Costa da Morte. Pollution caused by a forest to build a promenade. lack of sewage treatment plants. 7. Portonovo. Location of funfairs on 16. Lake of Baldaio. Illegal development, regenerated dunes. destruction of dunes. DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 39 BALEARIC ISLANDS THE BACKING DOWN OF THE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF THE BALEARIC ISLANDS SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF JAUME MATAS TO THE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT HAS DISRUPTED ANY ATTEMPT OF RATIONALITY IN ITS COASTS. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE MORATORIUM ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARINAS REVIVES AGAIN THE “BALEARICSATION”, A TERM COINED BY SPECIALISTS TO DEFINE THE COASTAL DEGRADATION.

40 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA

The Balearic Islands are still experiencing that imply saturation, doesn’t seem to be an urban development growth. Drawing up giving a good result to a tourist sector BEACHES WITH A BAD BATHING the Territorial Development Plans doesn’t more and more desperate by its critical WATERS’ QUALITY limit that expansion, on the contrary, those situation. Maybe the Balearic executive is (Information drawn from the European plans increase even more the surface des- still in time to reflect and abandon that Commission’s report on the bathing tined for building in the islands. The Territo- model before it is too late. waters quality) rial Plan of Mallorca increments the land for · Beach of Son Moll. Capdepera. development, planning to build 5.000 Quality tourism can not be used as an Mallorca. hectares in 10 years.VII In Ibiza, the Insular excuse to go on filling up the Islands with · Beach of Pollença. Pollença. Mallorca. Territorial Plan increases in a big extent the housing developments, golf courses and · Beach of Cala Padera. Es Castell. surfaces aimed for building, a lot of which marinas. The profits and losses of that Menorca. goes up into valleys and mounts at a virgin kind of installations have to be evaluated state, where there aren’t until now infra- in a serious and exhaustive way. The golf BEACHES WITH BATHING WATERS structures or constructions. courses represent a very high consump- WHICH QUALITY LEVEL DECREASED tion of water, land and energy and they ON 2004 In the Balearic Islands, paradoxically, the suppose a serious source of pollution by natural spaces protection has decreased the salinization generated on the ground · Beach of Barcarets. Alcudia. Mallorca. since the arrival to head of the regional gov- due to the massive use of fertilizers and · Beach of Son Moll. Capdepera. ernment, the former Minister for Environ- pesticides. By its part, the over 40 mari- Mallorca. ment, Jaume Matas. Under Matas’s leader- nas existing in the islands are responsible · Beach of Pollença. Mallorca. ship, the natural protected spaces “shrink”8 for the loss of beaches’ sand, of the pollu- or become coveted pieces where to carry tion and of damages in Posidonia subma- out urban development proceedings. rine meadows.

All the measures set up in the last year and a half try to comply the promise made by Jaume Matas to revitalize tourism in the archipelago. And its bet, the bet of the outdated traditional sun and beach idea

(8) Some examples of natural protected areas which extension has considerably decreased since the arrival of Mr. Matas: Natural Park of Llevant and the natural reserve of Cap Ferrutx and Cap des Freu in Mallorca and the Natural Park of Cala d’Hort in Ibiza.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 41 THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

10 11 8

5 4

Ibiza Mallorca Menorca 1. Sant Antoni. New marina. 3. Calviá. New urban development and 9. Port of Ciutadella. Its enlargement will golf course bring severe environmental damages to Formentera 4. Es Trenc-Salobrar de Campos. Urban the coast environment. 2. Construction of two new piers in Pujols development Project. 10. Port of Maó. enlargement of the and sa Canals. 5. Felanitx. Dredging in Portocolom that sports facilities and nautical causes damages to archaeological sites. installations. 6. Beach of Son Moll. Has bad quality of 11. Beach of Cala Padera. Es Castell. Its this bathing waters. bathing waters have bad quality. 7. Natural Park of s’Albufera. Golf course. 8. Pollença. Urban development in the humid area of l’Ullal. The beach of this town has bad quality bathing waters.

42 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA CANARY ISLANDS THE 1.540 KILOMETERS OF COAST OF THE CANARY ARCHIPELAGO HAS AN EXTRAORDINARY VARIETY AND SINGULARITY OF SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEMS. ALTHOUGH, THE CONSEQUENCES OF A TOURISM CARELESS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT DEVELOPS ITS ACTIVITY ARE SUPPOSING AN EXCESSIVE COAST OCCUPATION WITH SEVERE PROBLEMS OF COASTAL POLLUTION, ONE OF THE TROUBLES MOST FORGOTTEN BY THE CANARY ISLANDS REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 43

The urban development plans for islands adapting the consumption of basic as La Palma or La Gomera bring them the resources as the land, water and energy, same model suffered by islands that are moving the Canary away from the possibil- already saturated. The development plans ity of having a sustainable development. for the north coast of Fuerteventura show also that tendency. In Gran Canaria there The survey Tourism from the receivers are projects to build 19 new golf courses view and employment, Third trimester through the Special Territorial Plan for 2004 of the Institute of Tourism reveals Tourism. that the tourism information’s data never were so bad before: “during the third The case of the north coast of Fuerteventu- trimester of 2004 the international tourist ra is specially serious. It is a stretch of land arrivals with destination to the Canary almost virgin where 23 urban development Islands came to a total of 2,4 million, the plans are been accumulated. The European lowest level in the past five years, drop- Commission considers that the north coast ping year-on-year 5%”. The passengers of this island has a great ecological and transportation sector and the travel environmental value and deserves to be agencies establishes that the tourists taken in account in an adequate way by the are replacing the Canary with destina- competent authorities before approving tions as Egypt, because it is cheaper. those plans and so before authorizing the subsequent projects. The island of Tenerife shelters one of the main affronts against the Canarian coasts: The Canary model obtains the wort qualifi- the building project of the Industrial Port of cation corresponding to the tourist sector, Granadilla in the south west of the island, a harassed by the over supply of tourist stretch of coast with environmental values rooms and a great number of rooms “with recognized at a regional, national and no law on that respect ”on the archipelago, European level. The works to develop the but its leaders doesn’t seem disposed to Port of Granadilla will suppose serious put an end to the outrages found in the environmental affections denounced by Canary Islands, and in a leap in the dark, ecologist groups, scientists and a wide they continue to authorize new develop- amount of citizens. ments, golf courses and marinas, without

After the complaints brought to the Euro- Islands on the quality of the waters of its pean Commission, its Directorade-General coast revealed that in a few years, some of for the Environment considered in August the beaches that today fulfills the quality 2004 that the project presented environ- requirements imposed by the European mental incompatibility with the protected Commission, will not pass the new exams spaces of that area.9 (microbiological analysis).

The works done in the coast disregard the values and the unique wealth that the BEACHES WITH A BAD BATHING WATERS’ QUALITY Canarian coast has. The NATO military (Information drawn from the European Commission’s report on the bathing waters quality) manoeuvers, the oil prospecting of REP- SOL in front of the coasts of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura or the development of · Beach of Las Nieves. Agaete. · Beach of Muelleviejo. La Oliva. the Industrial Port of Granadilla in the Gran Canaria. Fuerteventura. south of Tenerife are examples of that way · Beach of Bocabarranco. Galdar. · Beach of Castillo de San G. Arrecife. of behaving. Gran Canaria. Lanzarote. · Beach of Caleta Arriba. Galdar. Regarding the pollution produced by the Gran Canaria. untreated sewage, the Canary archipelago is still not taking that problem seriously. Despite of being the first Autonomous BEACHES WITH BATHING WATERS WHICH QUALITY LEVEL DECREASED region to apply for having its waters ON 2004 declared as Special Area (which means free of oil discharges) by the International · Beach of Las Nieves. Agaete. Maritime Organization, the Canary still pol- Gran Canaria. luting its waters from the shore, causing · Beach of Muelle Pescadores. Arrecife. from time to time pollution incidents that Lanzarote. even leave its beaches useless for bathing. · Beach of Pila Barrilla. Tías. Lanzarote. The Canarian coast is drilled by underwater outlets where sewage is dump to the sea without any treatment. A report from the Technological Institute of the Canary

(9) The area lodges two Sites of Community Importance –Sebadales at the South of Tenerife and Montaña Roja– as several seriously threatened species –the Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) and the Atractylis preauxiana– which are priority objective for protection for the European Union and therefore should be so for the Canarian and Spanish Government.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 45 THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

21 22

18 17 16 14 6 15 20

2 5 19 4 13 3 12 10 7 11

8 9

La Palma Gran Canaria Fuerteventura 1. La Palma. 25.000 new hotel rooms 7. Agaete. Las Nieves beach. Bad quality 13. La Oliva. El Cotillo. 23 urban building and two new marinas. of its bathing waters. development plans in the north coast of 8. Mogán. Sewage pollution. the island; Majanicho. 750 houses, 1.500 La Gomera 9. Port of Arinaga. enlargement with hotel rooms, a golf course and camping; 2. La Gomera. Plans to duplicate its severe environmental damages. El Tamboril. 3.000 tourism rooms and a tourist rooms. 10. Las Palmas. Development project of water park; El Faro Beach. 6.000 new the isthmus of Santa Catalina. Illegal rooms for tourists and a golf course. Tenerife tender. 14. Muelleviejo beach. Bad quality of its 3. Adeje. Sewage dumping to Paraíso 11. Bay of Canteras. Sewage pollution. bathing waters. beach. 12. Galdar. Bocabarrancoand Caleta 15. Pájara. 24.000 new rooms for tourist. 4. Industrial Port of Granadilla. Arriba beaches: bad quality of its bathing 16. Oil prospecting of Repsol company in Destruction of protected coastal habitats waters. front of the coasts of Fuerteventura and and natural beaches. Lanzarote. Serious environmental Puerto de Santa Cruz de Tenerife. damages. Construction of a private marina that restricts the entry to the port. Lanzarote 5. Arico. Sea dumping next to the coast 17. Arrecife. Castillo de San Gabriel and through underwater damaged outlets. Muelle de Pescadores beaches: bad 6. Santa Cruz Port: private Marina inside. quality of its bathing waters.

46 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA BASQUE COUNTRY

URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY COAST IS VERY INTENSE IN SOME SPOTS. THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT IN THE COAST ARE FUNDAMENTALLY DEVOTED TO ATTEND THE DEMAND CAUSED BY THE HIGH PRICES OF THE CITIES.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 47

The Urban Development Plans show that the municipalities of over 10.000 habi- this tendency will continue in the future. tants, in the coast and in areas with a BEACHES WITH A BAD BATHING Municipalities from Vizcaya as Bakio, great environmental value. WATERS’ QUALITY Getxo, Górliz, Plentzia or Sopelana start (Information drawn from the European being saturated by urban development on The oil slick of the Prestige is still leaving Commission’s report on the bathing its coasts . its wake behind in the Basque country, waters quality) where some fuel oil samples are still arriv- · Beach of Oribarzar. Ondarroa. The measures undertaken by the Basque ing after each storm to beaches as Guipúzcoa. Government to protect the humid areas or Zarautz and Getaria. The Basque Govern- · Beach of Toña. Sukarrieta. stop the pollution will benefit the coast ment estimates that there are still Guipúzcoa. without any doubt. Although, the works on between 500 and 1.000 tons of fuel oil to · Beach of Zarautz. Guipúzcoa. its ports blur these proceedings. clear up from its coast. Besides the fuel oil · Beach of Santiago. Zumaia. remains, the Basque coast was divided in Guipúzcoa. The enlargement of the port of Bilbao, 43 areas in order to analyze the effects of along with the underwater sand extrac- the catastrophe, seven of them are still tion or the change of legal status of lands “hardly shocked”. BEACHES WITH BATHING WATERS in order to allow its urban development WHICH QUALITY LEVEL DECREASED lands re-qualification, illustrates one of ON 2004 the major problems of the coast: its pas- sage into the port authorities hands, only · Beach of Oribarzar. Ondarroa. worried about the profitability of the ports. Guipúzcoa. The project of development of a new exte- · Beach of Zarautz. Guipúzcoa rior port in Pasajes embraces the Spanish · Beach of Santiago. Zumaia. ports suicidal tendency, fierce rivals Guipúzcoa. among themselves, motivated by the lack · Beach of Gorliz. Vizcaya. of management from the Ministry of · Beach of Plentzia. Vizcaya. Development.

The Basque Government seems disposed to end up with the dumping to its coasts, and with that purpose it has set up an ambitious cleaning up that will touch all

48 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

5 6 7 8 4 3 2 9 1 10 15 14 12 11 13

Vizcaya 9. Ondarroa. Beach of Oribarzar. Bad 1. Port of Bilbao. Extraction of sands in quality of its bathing waters. front of the coast. Change of the legal 10. Mutriku. Mutriku. Marina-Fishing port status of lands in order to allow its urban with environmental affections. development 2. Getxo. Urban development in the Guipúzcoa coast. 11. Beach of Santiago. Bad quality of its 3. Sopelana. Urban development in the bathing waters. coast. 12. Beach of Zarautz. Bad quality of its 4. Górliz. Urban development in the bathing waters. coast. 13. Orio. New marina. 5. Plentzia. Urban development in the 14. Pasajes. Project to develop an exterior coast. New marina. port. 6. Bakio. Urban development in the coast. 15. Hondarribia. New marina. 7. Bermeo. New marina. 8. Sukarrieta. Toña beach: bad quality of its bathing waters.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 49 REGION OF MURCIA THE TERRITORY OF THE REGION OF MURCIA, AND SPECIALLY ITS COAST, IS SUFFERING A DEEP TRANSFORMATION IN THE LAST YEARS. THE SAME MODEL OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT SATURATION IS BEING FOLLOWED. THE MODEL THAT REPEATS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST AND THAT HAVE ENRICHED SO MANY PROMOTERS, ALTHOUGH WITH METHODS NOT SEEN UNTIL NOW AT THE SCALE IN WHICH IT HAPPENS IN THIS REGION: MODIFICATION OF THE CURRENT REGULATIONS TO REDUCE OR MAKE DISAPPEAR THE PROTECTION OF THE NATURAL SPACES.

50 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA

The regional Government makes a change ment of Murcia with the New Land Law of of legal status for 15.000 hectares of pro- the region in order to allow its urban tected lands, which more than two thou- development. 11.000 houses, 23.000 sand are coastal, in order to allow its hotel rooms, five golf courses and an inte- urban development, or allow the location rior marina with 1.500 berths are the data of golf courses inside of naturals Parks. that surrounds the project, declared “proceeding of a regional interest11” by the In the period 1999-2000, the population Regional Government of Murcia. in this region increased 14,9%, whereas its urban development increased until The regional government doesn’t respect 52,6%. Today, 35 from the 45 municipali- the natural protected spaces. The Environ- ties of Murcia are checking its urban mental Department is trying to modify the development plans. The development epi- Nature and Landscape Conservation Law center extends from all the coast and of the Region of Murcia in order to unite around the Mar Menor. Municipalities as several environmental laws in one with a Baños y Mendigo, Sucina, Corvera, Jeróni- regional view according to which 11 from mo and Avileses will increase its number the 19 protected spaces existing in the of developments in 30.000 new houses Region of Murcia will disappear (in the and eleven golf courses. coast they propose the disappearance of six of the nine coastal protected spaces ) Development Projects as “Novo Carthago” and moreover, it would abolish the three would suppose building up a new city with regional environmental Laws existing cur- 10.000 to 12.000 houses in a space of rently12. The preliminary plan leaves also more than five million square meters in the door open to the modification or disap- the south seaside of the Mar Menor. pearance of the eight protected spaces Between Águilas and Lorca the complex that are left now, and it proposes the dras- “Marina de Cope”10 will be built thanks to a tic decrease of the degree of protection change of legal status of more than two for those. thousand hectares lands by the Govern-

(10) The proceeding of a Regional interest and the Guidelines and the Coastal Development Plan that protects it have been appealed before the Higher Court of Justice of Murcia, and have been admitted to the procedure. (11) The declaration of Proceeding of a Regional Interest gives, among other, the legal authority to expropriate directly and urgently the lands affected to put them at the development company’s disposal. (12) Law 4/92 of Development and Protection of the Territory Law 1/95 of Environmental protection and Law 7/95 of the Wild Fauna.

The true lack of protection for the biggest alterations in the maritime medium (by Spanish salt-water lagoon, the Mar Menor, incensement of the salinity and its content is not due to a lack of arguments to justify of chemical products). A special care has to it, that are certainly very much, neither to be taken in those coastal areas where the a lack of legal means, that are also many. presence of submarine Posidonia oceanica Neither the awareness seems to be miss- meadows have been established. ing among the society, nor public declara- tions from the institutions involved about the need, opportunity and urgency of safeguarding the Mar Menor, what seems to be lacking is a clear commitment of act- ing in the Planning of the uses and activities, and of investing the necessary resources to carry out that planning organization.

Recently a motion has been brought to the Regional Parliament in order to modify the Law of Ports to increase the number of berths of the coast of Murcia.

Regarding the pollution problems, the current sources are combined with a lack of foresight in order to create new sewage treatment plants as they are associated to the big urban development planned in the coast of Murcia. The location of desalting plants in the coast is another possible source of pollution and occupation of the limited and valued coast land. The brines from the desalting have to be correctly treated, as they can cause substantial

52 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA THREATENED COASTAL SPACES

2 3

5 4

7 9 8 6

10 11

14 12 13

1. San Pedro del Pinatar: construction of 7. Cartagena. Project of “Novo Carthago”. 12. Águilas. Development of 3.000 the Marina of las Salinas. 10.000 new houses built. houses and Hotels. 2. La Manga del Mar Menor. Construction 8. La Muela-Cabo Tiñoso. Natural space to 13. Casica Verde. Águilas. New Marina. of two artificial illegal beaches. which the regional government wants to 14. Cuatro Calas. Natural space to which Construction of the Marina Puerto Mayor. remove the protection. the regional government wants to 3. San Javier. Project “Roda Golf”. 9. Mazarrón. Development of 4.500 remove the protection. Development of 1.814 houses and a golf houses, 1.000 hotel rooms and a golf 15. Sierra de las Moreras. Natural space course. course in el Mojón beach. New marina. to which the regional government wants 4. Open spaces and Islands of the Mar Dumping of untreated sewage to the sea. to remove the protection. Menor. Natural space to which the 10. Regional Park of the coast of Cabo regional government wants to remove Cope and Puntas de Calnegre. Natural the protection. space to which the regional government 5. Los Nietos. Beach of la Lengua de la wants to remove the protection. Vaca. Sewage dumping. 11. Águilas-Lorca. Project “Marina de 6. Islands and islets of the Cope”. Development of 11.000 houses, Mediterranean. Natural space to which 23.000 hotel rooms, 5 golf courses and a the regional government wants to marina in a natural space that has been remove the protection. unprotected by the regional government.

DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA 53 I “One third of the coast of Málaga is lacking of a sewage treatment”. La Opinión de Málaga. 5/08/04. II Black Flags in Andalusia 2005 Report. Ecologistas en Acción. June 2005. III Bathing water quality. Annual report, 2004 bathing season. European Commission. http://www.europa.eu.int/water/water- bathing/report/bathing_report_2004_es.pdf IV Els ecosistemes marins de Catalunya: present i futur. Proposta per a la Generalitat de Catalunya. Enric Ballesteros, Enrique Macpherson, Joandoménec Ros, Enric Sala y Mikel Zabala. 2004. V Bathing water quality. Annual report, 2004 bathing season. European Commission. http://www.europa.eu.int/water/water- bathing/report/bathing_report_2004_es.pdf VI Report of the Petitions of the European Parliament . VII “Amb el PTM cada día se podrien urbanitzar i edificar l'equivalent a 3 camps de futbol”. Statement issued to the press GOB. 9/12/04.

54 DESTRUCCIÓN A TODA COSTA