The Council of Ministers has approved a 90 million euro plan dedicated to restoring areas degraded by mining. The program includes 89 rehabilitation actions aimed at eliminating contamination, naturalizing landscapes, and turning former mining sites into carbon sinks that benefit nearby communities and wildlife. The allocation sets clear criteria for how funds will be distributed by region, aligning with national priorities for environmental recovery and climate resilience.
According to MITECO, the plan targets the removal of pollution sources and the naturalization of rehabilitated zones. The approach is designed to lower risks to nearby populations and to protect local ecosystems while advancing the ecological restoration of areas affected by mining activity.
The plan prioritizes the closure of hazardous mining facilities and expects to realize half of the funds from the inventory prepared under Royal Decree 975/2009, with awards issued before June 2023. This emphasis ensures the most at-risk sites receive attention first and accelerates the overall restoration timeline.
The approval, which was presented to the Sector Commission on 13 May without objections from any autonomous community, will proceed to the Environment Sector Conference to formalize the transfer of resources and monitor progress across regions.
Additional allocations for Andalusia, Castilla y León and Cantabria
Among the autonomous communities, Andalusia will receive the largest share with 29.4 million euros, followed by Castilla y León with 17.1 million euros and Cantabria with 10.8 million euros. The Region of Murcia is not included in this agreement due to the special treatment of mining basins near the Mar Menor, which involves a separate 40 million euro provision under Royal Decree 27/21.
In total, the 90 million euros supplements the 698 million euros already allocated in 2021 under Component 4 of the PRTR. An additional 1.642 million euros are dedicated to preserving ecosystems through ecological restoration, reversing biodiversity loss, and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources as well as the protection and enhancement of ecosystem services.
The agreement commits to rehabilitating at least 50% of the 20 identified mining sites before July 2023 and to completing the restoration of at least 30 former sites before July 2026. The restoration scope includes soil decontamination, landscape morphology recovery, and the naturalization of sites to support long-term ecological balance.
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(This summary reflects formal statements and planning documents from the Environment department, with formal attribution to the responsible ministries and agencies within the government.)