Tag Archives: Pollution

More wood

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Washing hands is a highly effective health practice. Today it may seem obvious, but it required thousands of years of prior human existence. In fact, the British had already been in Menorca for some time and were using the new Camí d’en Kane when a Nordic doctor, observant and methodical, who attended women during childbirth, began noticing a great difference in recovery if he washed his hands beforehand.

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Urban development excesses of 900%

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A new urban planning threat is being proposed on rural land in Menorca, presented as essential agricultural buildings to save the island’s countryside. Enormous building projects are being proposed with requests for exemption from urban planning parameters, so they can fall outside the scope of current regulations. These will be agricultural buildings… as long as the activity lasts.

Currently open to public consultation is a project for a large winery in Ciutadella, on the Camí de Macarella. It is planned on specially protected land and within an area of High Fire Risk. It is undergoing processing to be declared of General Interest. GOB has submitted objections.

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From Ciutadella’s water crisis to Menorca’s sustainability challenge

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Ciutadella is one of the municipalities where underground water resources are in the worst state, to the point that the new General Plan is currently halted because it cannot guarantee supply for the projected population.

Two years ago, the Sustainable Water Management Plan for the municipality was drafted. GOB submitted comments because there were very concerning situations. Given the chronic nature of these issues for decades, the intervention by the Civil Guard and the judicial complaint, potentially qualifying as an environmental crime due to water management, were considered good news.

Now, it has been announced that the Government is approving the Water Management Plan, but no one has responded to the comments. Therefore, we recall them here so they do not remain in a drawer:

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Environmental concern over projects at the Port of Maó

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GOB has not received any response to the objections it submitted regarding two major nautical projects at the Port of Maó, nor has it received answers to its requests for access to information.

Plans to discharge desalination plant brine directly into the port, construction of new pontoons in natural areas, lack of environmental impact assessments, and overcrowding of nearby coves are among the concerns raised due to the high potential impact.

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Objections to jet ski project at Sant Tomàs beach

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Jet skis are the basis of an activity that frequently generates complaints. They tend to be noisy, can pose a danger to swimmers, and have a high potential to impact the marine environment. GOB has submitted objections to a facility currently under administrative review, planned for installation in front of Sant Tomàs beach.

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On Menorca’s tourism carrying capacity

Views: 273

Recently, details have emerged about the study on tourism carrying capacity commissioned by the Consell Insular de Menorca. The study proposes increasing the number of tourist accommodations across the island, including in traditional towns, tourist areas, and even rural land.

This is a serious concern, as the study is being used to justify lifting the current tourism moratorium. The GOB has released an initial response highlighting key issues.

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Proposals for a safer coastline

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A group of organizations from across Spain—including Alianza Mar Menor, Ecologistas en Acción, Fundación Juan Tábara, GEN-GOB, GOB Mallorca, GOB Menorca, Mallorca Blue, Pacto por el Mar Menor, Salvemos Calblanque, SOS Costa Brava, and SOS Mar Menor—have joined forces to urge the Spanish government to update maritime traffic regulations.

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