Spain destroys every day an area of coast equivalent to eight football fields

Spain degrades 7.7 hectares of coast each day to create housing developments, industrial and commercial land, the report "Destruction at all costs to 2010 ', released today by Greenpeace. According to Greenpeace, 44% of the Spanish population live on the coast, which represents only 7% of the territory.

The environmental NGOs have also been allegations that in the last 20 years has been destroyed in the Spanish coast, the area equivalent to eight football fields a day and adds that "there is no evidence of abandonment" of the massive construction on the coast, nor "end the harassment" to the last untouched.

Thus, according to the same source, from 1987 to 2005 we have destroyed a total of 50 504 hectares of natural land in the first two kilometers of coastline (this figure does not include the Canary Islands).
An unstoppable phenomenon

This phenomenon is widespread in the last decade towards the ends well preserved on the coast: the Region of Murcia, Almería, Huelva, Rías Baixas, Cantabria and Asturias.

"We are all aware that the assault on the coast has been hit in recent years. But the worst thing is that this trend continues and politicians strive to eliminate the only legislation that defends the coast. What is to be demolished The Algarrobico and not the Coastal Act and will continue fighting so that this does not happen, "said Juan Lopez de Uralde, director of Greenpeace. "It is unfortunate that partisan interests are promoted by sales to the Coastal Act that seek to legalize the abuses that have allowed for all these years."

"In this decade there has been a massive urbanization of the coast, only comparable to that of the 60s," says Pilar Marcos, head of the Greenpeace campaign Coast. "Today we suffer the environmental consequences and the economic crisis, but it seems that we have taken note of their causes."
Valencia, which has destroyed more

According to Greenpeace, of all communities highlights the Valencian to be the one that has destroyed the coast in this decade. In 2004, each square kilometer of the community received an average of 288 tonnes of cement. One year later, 33% in the first kilometer of coast was undeveloped. And in 2008 there was a marina every 11 km of coastline, as denounced by environmentalists.

The environmental organization believes that a sustainable economy initiatives lack credibility if cases of coastal destruction are promoted by governments. Examples cited the hotel of the carob tree, which still stands, or to encourage construction in ports like Granadilla (Tenerife), Tarifa (Cadiz), or of Pasajes (Gipuzkoa) and unsustainable urban development such as Marina d'Or and Cangas do Morrazo. Also demand that steps be taken to curb pollution of the Galician or the Bay of Algeciras.

Marcos said that "many of us believe that true luxury is not a five star hotel, that real luxury is a virgin beach. A luxury not only visual but represents a powerful economic asset for sustainable tourism and craft activities as fishing. We are few areas of unspoilt coastline and tolerance for urban macro and port should be zero. "