WWF and Ecologists at Work criticized: “Wrong solutions” proposed by the Andalusian Government He faults her for proposing new infrastructure or transfers “while maintaining high water demand”, given the drought situation the community is experiencing. feed the watering can On the other hand, it does not put an end to water theft.” “The real problem is not the lack of rain, but the rain. excess demand about available resources,” they warn.
In the statement made by WWF, the following statements were made: Board continues “same pattern of overexposure to water” “Extraordinary decrees” were issued “under the pretext that there was little rain”. Faced with this, he calls for “the structural problems arising from the lack of water in the Andalusian basins to be addressed first by reducing overconsumption, eliminating water theft and adapting to the uncertainty of climate change and not always asking for more water to play golf.” courses or industrial and intensive crops,” explains Rafael Seiz, WWF Spain’s water program specialist.
The reservoirs of the Andalusian Mediterranean basins Guadalete-Barbate, Guadalquivir and Guadiana face this 2024 principle by 18%, 14%, 19% and 27% of their capacity.
Although the water allocated to different users in the Guadalquivir or Guadiana basins has been restricted in at least the last five campaigns, he nevertheless notes that: On average, more than 85% of the water used in these campaigns was used for irrigation. “It consumes enormous amounts of resources and conditions the amount of water retained and the ability of other users to respond to water scarcity,” WWF explains.
Demand growth continues to be encouraged
On the contrary, Public administration “continues to support policies aimed at increasing water demand”“Although the impact of climate change indicates that available water supplies will become smaller and more uncertain, this necessarily requires a sustainable increase in supply.”
Considering this situation, WWF considers it “irresponsible” to convey the message to the public in the coming months that the problem of water shortage will be solved with a water supply that will take two to five years to be realized. new dams, desalination plants and transfers).
“We cannot wait for rains to solve our problems caused by overuse of water, nor can we continue to rely on emergency measures to solve a structural problem in the management and use of water. It is not only drought that destroys our water reserves, but also overuse and theft of water. and leads us to collective water suicide. We have the tools to solve these problems, but we must stop the political promises of water that does not exist,” says Seiz.
Change production model
Ecologistas en Acción emphasized in its statement that the Andalusian Government “started with a wrong diagnosis, blaming the lack of rain and lack of investment in infrastructure for the permanent water shortage.” “neither transfers, nor desalination plants, nor new reservoirs solve the problem of overuse of water bodies”Therefore, it is deemed necessary to change the agricultural industry, energy and tourism model through the transition to fair water.
Thus, we can see that drought is a natural phenomenon specific to our Mediterranean climate. What Andalusia is experiencing is a “structural crisis of famine”A situation that becomes more evident as rainfall decreases and is further intensified by heat waves as a result of climate change.
“The demand for water in Andalusia exceeds the availability of the resource, with large spatial variations,” he stressed, stressing that the deficit is therefore “structural and concealed by the general overuse of surface and groundwater.”
In detail, forecasting and planning tools are available to address meteorological drought.Such as drought plans or drought contingency plans for a population of more than 10,000.
“Special committee of experts”
He notes that to prevent famine, “responsible policies to change the production model” are required through a just water transition and existing water adaptation strategies, taking into account the consequences resulting from climate change.
“These key measures to address the increase in drought risks responsibly and sensitively “contradicting the ideas proposed by the Andalusian Government and protected by the special committee of experts”, He warns and criticizes that this committee “continues to insist on the construction of further works, ignoring scientific evidence, the cost recovery required by the Water Framework Directive, its own powers and the boundaries of each hydrographic zone”.
Intensive irrigation and tropical crops are becoming widespread in Andalusia, causing “huge environmental impacts due to overexploitation and pollution of groundwater,” Ecologistas en Acción notes. He also details: There are several urban macro complexes planned There is no guarantee of access to drinking water on the coast.
According to Ecologists in Action, water is not only a strategic resource on which production activities depend, but also “an essential natural heritage for the quality of life of its inhabitants and the survival of ecosystems of great ecological value.”
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