"Seek a balance between the implementation of renewable energies and the protection of the landscape and biodiversity of Lanzarote". This is the main conclusion left by the Lanzarote Biosphere Reserve Council, held this Wednesday, June 14. A session that took place in the Sociedad Democracia de Arrecife and in which, although it was emphasized "the importance of continuing to promote the development of renewables on the island", it was also highlighted "the need to plan and organize its deployment".
“We cannot ignore the culture of defense of the territory and the landscape defended for decades on our island. That is the true general interest. The territory is a scarce asset, supporting life, all species and ecosystems and cannot be conceived solely and exclusively as a physical support for economic activities, nor be regulated as a mere commodity or a market product”, explained the Councilor of the Lanzarote Biosphere Reserve, Elena Solís, who chaired the meeting of the Governing Board.
For Solís, the “large-scale” and “speculative” model of implementing renewable energies that has been carried out throughout the world for years “is a model that ignores the bio-geophysical limits of the planet”. “Are we facing a green revolution or a new frontier of financial profitability and extraction of public funds?”, she questioned, inviting the members of the Biosphere Reserve Council to reflect on what they want for Lanzarote.
In this regard, and as an example, she pointed out what happened on the island of Fuerteventura, “where numerous renewable energy facilities have been authorized without clear justified reasons that negatively affect a territory as vulnerable and dependent as that of Lanzarote”, and she criticized that “the declaration of general interest is abused to authorize this type of project”.
The vice president of the Cabildo, Marcos Bergaz, also spoke in this same sense, who detailed some of the most relevant actions that, in terms of energy sustainability, the first island corporation has carried out in recent years and “the many that we still have to face to achieve the collective success of a one hundred percent sustainable Lanzarote.”
“The commitment of the Cabildo of Lanzarote is clear: to increase the penetration of renewables to 62% in 2030 and 100% in 2040, while promoting employment and the new local energy industry,” said Bergaz, who insisted however that there must be some “red lines” when implementing renewable energies on the island such as “natural heritage and landscape”.
“Sustainability must be orderly. Solar farms or wind farms are not allowed anywhere on the island,” added the vice president of the Cabildo, pointing out that we must also bet “on public ownership” of energy infrastructures.
The impact on biodiversity
For his part, the island director of Environment of the Cabildo, Yarci Acosta, spoke about the impact that the set of wind infrastructures for energy capture can have on biodiversity by posing a new source of mortality for birds, mainly due to collisions that may occur.
“It is clear that we need to promote the use of renewable energy sources, but we cannot forget that we are immersed in a biodiversity crisis”, said Acosta, pointing out that “we have a moral duty” to protect our natural wealth and more in a territory like the Canary Islands where “almost 40% of the fauna species and approximately 30% of the plant species are endemic, that is, exclusive to these islands”.
Therefore, the island director of Environment of the Cabildo has insisted on the importance of identifying the limits within which to develop this energy source. “Why not declare the Canary Islands free of renewables in protected and natural spaces?”, Yarci Acosta raised to stimulate the debate.
In addition to the different members of the Governing Board of the Biosphere Reserve Council, Antonio González Viéitez, member of the Scientific Cabinet, and Araceli Reymundo, from the Platform for a new energy model for the Canary Islands, also participated in the session, who also contributed their opinions to the debate.
“The issue of energy transition is essential and even more so in Lanzarote”, said González Viéitez, who also raised the need to "plan the development of renewable energies so that what is happening in other islands does not happen". “Like in Gran Canaria, where they have put so much renewable energy, without a global vision, that on many occasions, when there is a lot of wind, such a volume of energy is produced that it has to be thrown away”.
“In the issue of waste we always say that we must reduce, then reuse and then recycle, and I think that to talk about the new renewable energy model it is important to talk about how we can also reduce”, said Araceli Reymundo, who also pointed out that “energy is not only what we consume when we turn something on in our homes, but also that assigned to transport, which has a lot to do with urban planning”.
Precisely, mobility will be the next topic to be discussed in the Biosphere Reserve Council, in a session that is scheduled to be held in July. “We want to continue analyzing what island model we want”, said councilor Elena Solís, who explained that a debate will also be held in September on natural spaces and their uses and activities.
Also, in addition to the different sessions of the Biosphere Council, different working committees will also be formed.
