VilaWeb - Diari escola: The Ebro, a Threatened River

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dijous, 25 d'abril de 2024

> Concern in the Ebro Region

> The Controversy of the Ebro Diversion

> The Ebro and Sustainable Development

dijous, 23 de setembre de 2004

After the Spanish Government repealed Ebro River out-of-basin diversion in June, the river has hit the headlines once again, this time for a very different reason: a report that was made public on the 9th of September revealed the existence of thousands of tonnes of toxic residues at the bottom of the Flix dam (Ribera d'Ebre county).

The report, drawn up by the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and commissioned by the Catalan Government, stated that there is an accumulation of between 200,000 to 360,000 tonnes of waste, aside from what can be found on the riverbanks. And if that was not enough, part of the waste (between seventy and a hundred tonnes) is radioactive mining residue.

The responsibility for the dumping of toxic substances in the Ebro falls on the Erkimia company, a subsidiary of Ercros Industrial. However, the Catalan Autonomous Government has ruled out taking legal action against the company, which claims that it has not failed to observe the legislation in force at any one time; legislation that, it must be said, has been totally insufficient when it comes to the environment.

! Actualització el 23/09/2004 a les 06:00

La fiscalia de Tarragona obre diligències per investigar la contaminació a l'Ebre

+ Webs relacionades dins Nosaltres.Com: Ecologisme i medi

Concern in the Ebro Region

+ The responsibility for the dumping of toxic substances in the Ebro falls on Erkimia.

Meanwhile, politicians are asking the population to remain calm, particularly the people of Flix and the surrounding towns. But the mayors of the area have already expressed the fear that the alarm caused by the news of the dumping of toxic waste will end up seriously damaging the tourist trade. Moreover, although the authorities stress that there are no health risks, the possibility that the waste will enter the food chain has not been completely ruled out.

The Controversy of the Ebro Diversion

+ Demonstration against Ebro River out-of-basin diversion.

On the 18th of June the Spanish government repealed the project to divert water from the river basin, that had been included in the Hydrological Plan pushed forward by the previous Popular Party government and justified by the lack of water in some areas of Spain. It was a great day for the Platform for the Defence of the Ebro, which for over three years headed the fight against a project that was severely criticised by the people of the Ebro region and by environmental organisations, as well as being questioned by several scientists.

The Ebro and Sustainable Development

+ The Nature Park of the Ebro Delta is the largest wetland of the Catalan area.

Several arguments could be heard in the case against the Ebro River out-of-basin diversion. One of them was based on the fact that the water diversion project did not adhere to the principles of what is known as sustainable development. This type of development, which has been one of the three main themes of the Universal Forum of Cultures 2004, aims to promote good economic growth that respects the environment, in order not to exhaust the resources provided by nature. Needless to say, the model of development that has allowed the accumulation of toxic waste in the Flix reservoir is not in the least sustainable.

MATERIALS

Estudi sobre l'Ebre, des de Flix a la desembocadura
Format:PDF
Estudi realitzat pel Consell Superior d'Investigacions Científiques i la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
Sostenible
Format:Web
Revista de la Xarxa de Ciutats i Pobles cap a la Sostenibilitat.
Salvem la Terra
Format:Web
Pàgina del IES Antoni Pous i Argila de Manlleu (Osona), que toca qüestions relatives al medi.
Departament del Medi
Format:Web
Web del departament del Medi de la Generalitat de Catalunya.
Escola Oberta: medi
Format:Web
Selecció de recursos sobre el medi, des de la Xarxa Telemàtica Educativa de Catalunya (XTEC).
ebreguia.com
Format:Web
La guia de les Terres de l'Ebre a internet.
Ecologistes en Acció de Catalunya
Format:Web
Xarxa de grups ecologistes del Principat.

QUE HO SABIES?

The Spanish Ministry for the Environment will initially earmark 104.4 million euros to the clean-up of the contaminating waste dumped in the Ebro.
The Catalan Government has ruled out the closure of the Erkimia factory in Flix, which provides work for around three hundred people, and it has announced that it will promote economic diversification in the Ebro region.
The Nature Park of the Ebro Delta is the largest wetland of the Catalan area, covering an area of 320 square kilometres, and one of the most important habitats of birdlife in the Mediterranean.