Podemos are calling on the Balearic government to exercise its environmental protection powers by limiting the docking of the most-polluting cruise ships. These powers demand compliance with measures to reduce gas emissions.
With reference to the arrival of Symphony of the Seas on Sunday, the party's parliamentary spokesperson, Alberto Jarabo, yesterday rejected the continuance of "a political agenda of imbalances in a tourism model that is unsustainable".
Jarabo said that a cruise ship emits 3,500 times more sulphur into the atmosphere than car diesel and that pollution by cruise ships affects human health, agriculture and food as well as ecosystems in the Balearics. Noting that some 1.75 million cruise ship passengers are scheduled for Palma this year, Jarabo insisted that it is necessary "to force cruise ships to adopt measures to reduce pollution".
The government should require environmental management certification, he maintained, while the environment ministry should look to use its powers in order to stop the growth of polluting cruise ship tourism. Jarabo recognised that responsibilities for the management of certain ports (such as Palma) lie with the central government. Nevertheless, the regional government should at least attempt to negotiate with Madrid.
Palma mayor Antoni Noguera said yesterday that Palma must "manage success and not die from success". The town hall, he added, is continuing discussions with the Balearic Ports Authority over cruise ship arrivals.
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Totally support. I’ve worked in both the auto and aerospace industries. You think they are the main polluters here? Do your research and think again. That’s why Venice is up in arms...
My impression is that governments and authorities (in all countries) prefer to catch the small fish (i.e., ordinary people) rather than the big fish (e.g., companies with resources to get expert help to evade taxes or regulations that restrict their profits). Based on that impression I think it is on time that we start to discuss the environmental impact of aviation versus automobiles versus cruise liners.