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Date Published: 27/02/2024

New law aims to safeguard the Mar Menor and promote sustainable energy

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The reform will drastically change environmental and economic activities in the Mar Menor

New law aims to safeguard the Mar Menor and promote sustainable energy

Vox, a partner in the coalition government of the Region of Murcia, believes that the proposed changes to the Law for the Protection and Recovery of the Mar Menor that is currently in the pipeline will better protect the salt lagoon. The reform not only focuses on recovering the ecosystem but also considers the impact of nearby economic activities.

The draft law is extensive. It requires annual audits of municipal sewage systems to track progress in separating and extending networks, connecting homes to the system and implementing tertiary treatment systems in wastewater plants. Municipalities must also report on efforts to prevent rainwater runoff into the Mar Menor. These findings will be shared with the Governing Council and Regional Assembly.

Two of the biggest changes, though, impact the construction of new marinas in the Mar Menor and the installation of solar panels.

Marinas

Currently, Article 62 of the Law for the Protection and Recovery of the Mar Menor refers specifically to the "prohibition of the construction of new marinas and negative effects on the coastal dynamics." The revised document hasn’t eliminated this clause, but instead refers to certain “limitations”.

Specifically, the draft reform allows for the construction of new ports only if technical studies demonstrate that their implementation will not significantly impact the ecosystem or coastal dynamics of the Mar Menor as a whole. Similarly, the expansion of existing ports will be permitted within the context of environmental reconversion, provided that technical studies guarantee that the execution of such projects will not significantly affect the ecosystem or coastal dynamics.

Additionally, the draft reform accepts the use of continuous breakwater dikes, but only if technical studies confirm that their installation will not significantly impact the environment. Furthermore, the use of wave attenuation systems and floating marshes that do not significantly affect coastal dynamics is also allowed.

Overall, while the draft reform maintains the original prohibition on new marinas, it introduces some flexibility regarding the expansion and modification of existing ports, provided that strict environmental criteria are met.

Solar panels

The new Law also proposes limiting the size of macroparks that produce photovoltaic energy in order to preserve the picturesque landscape of the Mar Menor.

The National Association of Photovoltaic Energy Producers (Anpier) has thrown its support behind the measure, but suggests that smaller solar parks, up to 5 megawatts, should also be considered.

According to the association's president, Miguel Ángel Martínez Aroca, larger plants have a negative impact on the environment, but self-consumption facilities alone are not enough to meet energy demands. He argues that small parks can provide clean energy for all citizens without harming the environment.

The Vox draft proposal also proposes promoting the implementation of renewable energies that promote the circular economy "as opposed to those that consume natural resources, have a short useful life or have low rates of reuse or recycling of their components."