Lanzarote En Pie (LEP) considers that the new postponement of the Biosphere Reserve Council, without a new meeting being announced, "once again leaves a fundamental debate pending on the definition of renewable energy acceleration zones (ZAR) and the energy model that should be developed on the island".
The Council meeting, which was scheduled for October 19, was postponed to Tuesday the 27th, but has now been canceled again. The Council was to address the technical report prepared by the Cabildo with the advice of BIOCRIT regarding criteria for the implementation of facilities, prioritized spaces for them, and territorial delimitation.
For Lanzarote En Pie, the technical advances are relevant, but they do not replace the political decisions that remain pending. The organization recalls that the president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort, signed the ZAR protocol with the Government of Canarias in July 2025 and that, months later, he publicly rejected the model he had signed.
More than a year of controversy
"After more than a year of controversy, citizens have the right to know if the Cabildo maintains that rejection or considers that its objections have been resolved with a new territorial delimitation," states Leandro Delgado, spokesperson for LEP.
Lanzarote En Pie considers it necessary to clarify the discrepancies between the island government and the regional Executive. In this regard, the municipalist spokesperson pointed out that "both administrations should contribute to clearing up these doubts because the institutional debate cannot be left pending indefinitely."
LEP calls on the president of the Cabildo to explain the reasons for the new postponement, announce a date for the Biosphere Reserve Council meeting, and clarify what commitments he maintains with the Government of Canarias.
Likewise, it asks to know if the new island proposal has been formally submitted to the regional Executive, what response it has received, and what is the administrative status of the protocol signed in 2025.
According to Delgado, "the controversy over the ZAR highlights the need to address a broader issue than the delimitation of land intended for wind or photovoltaic facilities."
The organization argues that Lanzarote needs its own energy policy, built with citizen participation and based on a rigorous diagnosis of consumption needs, savings possibilities, the capacity of electrical grids, and the priority use of already transformed spaces.
Leandro Delgado insists that “planning must translate into concrete actions, with a coordinated program between city councils and the Cabildo”. Likewise, he considers it equally necessary to “establish mechanisms that allow economic benefits to remain to a greater extent in Lanzarote and contribute to reducing the population's energy costs."
"It is not enough to announce that the territory will be protected. It must be explained what facilities are needed, where they can be located, who will participate in their development, and what public investments will be made to reduce our energy dependence," points out the municipalist spokesperson.
Lanzarote En Pie insists that the transition to renewable energies is necessary, but it must be developed through democratic planning that takes into account territorial limits and guarantees social benefits.
Finally, the municipalist organization demands that the Cabildo assume its corresponding political leadership, clear up uncertainties about the ZARs, and present an island energy roadmap with objectives, budget, calendar, and public participation mechanisms.
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