Greenpeace criticise Calvia council´s plan

Joan Collins GREENPEACE yesterday condemned the proposal by Calvia council to sink the frigate “Balears” in an area of “exceptional environmental worth” as evidence of the “lack of criteria and aims for the future which the guardians of the Balearic heritage have”. In its report “Destruction at all costs 2006”, presented yesterday, the environmental organisation underlined that the sinking of this frigate in an area adjacent to the Malgrats Islands Marine Reserve off the coast of Calvia is “worthy of an entry in the catalogue of worst absurdities”. Greenpece highlighted the “irrationality” of the project from the environmental point of view because of the “evident artificialisation” of the area which will be directly affected by the sinking and its surroundings. “The quality of the countryside will suffer severely due to this huge artificial element which is 3'000 tonnes in weight”, they added. The supporters of the project defend it by saying that this will enhance the biodiversity of the area. However, the ecologists say that in reality it will bring about the modification of the ecological conditions in a sandy area which is in a good state of conservation at the moment. To the argument that the project will reduce the presence of divers in protected areas, Greenpeace says that the effect will be the reverse as it is next to a marine reserve. According to the organisation, the socioeconomic benefits which the supporters of the scheme expect after the sinking will be, in their judgement, “barely important” in any case, but in a town like Calvia it is just “tourist hype”. Greenpeace's report also criticised the “eagerness for building” of Jaume Matas, leader of the Balearic Government, in this term of office, in spite of the “massive” demonstrations against some of the public works. They warned that the Balearic Islands are continuing along the “path to urban saturation” which “all the time is frightening away more tourists”. The report especially condemns the Balearic Government for “not putting a limit” on the growth of nautical tourism, “causing serious repercussions on the marine reserves and the Poseidon grounds” and “at the cost of destroying the few unspoiled areas that remain on the Balearic coast”.