SEVILLE – After weeks of intensive negotiations, the Spanish government and the Junta de Andalucía have reached an agreement on the Doñana nature park, which is disappearing due to drought.
This agreement promises to herald a new phase for the conservation and sustainable development of and around this important nature reserve. It will be officially presented in Almonte on Monday by Teresa Ribera, the Minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, and Juanma Moreno, the President of Andalucia. Moreno and Ribera will sign this important agreement before both attend the Climate Summit in Dubai at the end of this week.
Dialogues and discussions
The agreement is the result of a dialogue process that started on October 3. A balance had to be found between environmental protection and the economic and social development of the region. The agreement is expected to resemble the plan for the Mar Menor in Murcia, also a nature reserve in danger because it is surrounded by intensive agriculture. The aim is to establish key actions in the national park while protecting the ecosystem and socio-economic conditions of farmers in the surrounding area.
Also read: Greenpeace happy with dialogue about Doñana
Despite challenges and several calls for patience, representatives of the Junta de Andalucía and the government have remained optimistic about reaching an agreement. This agreement is crucial not only for the protection of Doñana, but also for the region’s farmers who would benefit from the new regulations.
The Plataforma en Defensa de los Regadíos del Condado recently called for renewed discussion and approval of the initiative in the Andalucian parliament, a call that Vox has joined.