The environmental and animal welfare group of the Guardia Civil, SEPRONA, have seized two crocodiles and three snakes from a travelling circus in the Extremaruda town of Fresnedoso de Ibor. The crocodiles were Crocodylus niloticus, more commonly known...

Organisers claimed that almost 3000 people attended the rally on Sunday to protest against the construction of a new landfill site in Albatera, situated adjacent to a populated area in an area of natural beauty. A police spokesman, however, suggested t...

Environmental plans which look set to be approved to protect wetlands of Rabasa in Alicante may have serious repercussions for the proposed site of the long awaited branch of furniture giant Ikea. Plans working their way through the Department of Infr...

Miguel Arias Cañete has appeared at the Commission for the Study of Climate Change in the House of Representatives, to report on the agreements and commitments made at the Climate Conference held in Warsaw last November.

The Minister also has used his appearance to take stock of the measures and actions that his Department has launched in the past two years to reduce emissions and comply with international commitments on climate change policy.

During the hearing, Arias Cañete has assured that the Government welcomes the results achieved at the meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention (COP 19), "as it has been able to establish a clear and specific process on the steps that will need to Face to adopt a new international climate change agreement in 2015 "

In connection with this meeting Arias Cañete said that "significant achievements" which summarized around four main themes were reached:

Have strengthened some key technical aspects, such as tracking and monitoring of emissions of greenhouse gases.

They have laid the foundation of the process of negotiating a new global climate agreement to be adopted in 2015 in Paris.

In Warsaw a couple has established international mechanism to address loss and damage associated with climate change

It gives a step forward in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation sector.

For the minister, these advances have been articulated in a series of over thirty decisions that consolidate the agenda in recent years and allow negotiations to shape the coming years with a view to negotiating a new international climate agreement to be adopted in 2015, in Paris.

The minister has detailed, after complex negotiations, we agreed that all countries must be ready before Paris to present our contributions to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that will be entered in the agreement in 2015. "To succeed, "Spain believes that the European Union should continue to lead international negotiations", he stressed.

From the forthcoming Leaders Summit to be held in September 2014, in Peru, the Minister considers that "the objective of the EU is to go with the homework done and put on the table as a target of reducing emissions to to be enrolled in the new agreement. "

MEETINGS IN WARSAW SUMMIT

Moreover, the minister reported that, in parallel with the negotiating process, the Spanish delegation participated in Warsaw in a series of meetings to strengthen coordination and cooperation with other countries.

Thus, Arias Cañete has referred to the signing of three new Memoranda of Understanding with El Salvador, Argentina and Panama, which are added to those signed last year in Doha Summit with a number of Latin American countries. With these agreements cooperative activities in the framework of the fight against climate change are expanded.

Also, Arias Cañete highlighted his meeting with the Minister of Environment of Peru, "in order to express our readiness to provide all the technical support you need in 2014 to celebrate the upcoming climate change summit in Lima.

At the same time, have strengthened ties with other regions, mainly in North Africa, due to the significant potential offered for Spanish companies. So, Arias Cañete mentioned his meeting with the Minister of Environment of Morocco. In the European context, "I held bilateral meetings with the ministers of Portugal and the UK with whom we have a close common position, and a constant and fluid relationship on climate change."

Finally, the minister mentioned a ministerial meeting of the Latin American Network of Climate Change Offices (RIOCC), which also involved the Spanish deputies present in Warsaw, "which introduced the possibility that countries that are part of this network tuviesen a more active role in the process of international climate change negotiations. "

In parallel, the Spanish delegation held daily meetings with the regional governments, parliamentarians, Spanish companies and NGO representatives at the Summit in order to keep them informed in a timely manner of the progress made in the negotiations.

PERFORMANCES IN SPAIN

Moreover, Arias Cañete explained to the members of the Commission of the actions that have been launched in Spain in the last two years, during which "have actively worked to implement a national policy on climate change leading solutions and answers to this problem in our country. "

As explained by the Minister, the Government has given a total shift in national policy on climate change to center in driving internal projects to help reduce emissions in Spain and also will create jobs.

Arias Cañete criticized that, although the socialist government had spent 770 million euros on the purchase of CO2 allowances abroad, Spain was unable to comply with the Kyoto Protocol. However, "we have worked to ensure that Spain meets the Kyoto Protocol," he assured.

The minister was convinced that we are in the time of national climate policies, for what have launched several complementary lines of action to reduce emissions in the diffuse sectors: Climate Projects, Plans PIMA ( Air and SOL), the Carbon Footprint Project and Fuzzy Roadmap and work under the National Adaptation Plan.

Regarding the Climate Project, Arias Cañete has detailed these are initiatives to mitigate emissions in the "diffuse sources" that also favor the development of low carbon economic activity in Spain.

Meanwhile, Plans to Promote Environment (PIMA Air & SOL), for the renewal of commercial vehicles, and for the renovation of hotel infrastructures, "are evidence of the important role of the private sector in the fight against climate change, and how it can boost economic activity while protecting the environment, "he said.

Meanwhile, the project links the carbon footprint calculation and reducing the carbon footprint of companies with promoting domestic sinks. In this regard, the Minister has announced that it is to be published Royal Decree that regulates, "which will be essential for companies to calculate and reduce their energy consumption and, therefore, increase competitiveness."

In addition, Arias Cañete has stated that the goal of the Roadmap 2020 is planning additional measures, the degree of implementation and its cost to achieve the desired goal, ie "reach 2020 meeting our target of a 10% our diffuse emissions compared to 2005. "

The Minister also referred to the work carried out under the National Adaptation Plan. Arias Cañete recalled that in late 2013 the third work program "fully consistent with the European Adaptation Strategy" was approved. Among these works, Arias Cañete stressed the Web Platform AdapteCCa and disclosure of the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Finally, Arias Cañete mentioned the work of his Department in the last year in the development of legislation related to combating climate change. In Europe, the Ministry has participated in the negotiation process of the regulations set reduction targets in new light vehicles in 2020 on the amendment of Regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases and in the ILUC directives and quality fuel.

And nationally, has introduced climate change two laws passed in 2013: the Environmental Assessment Act and the Law on Protection and Sustainable Use of the coast and to amend the Coastal Act.

The bus service from the Orihuela Costa to the Medieval Market was seen as a huge success once again, with over 200 passengers registering to use the service over the three day event. The town hall still maintain a regular bus service every Tuesday, al...

The bus service from the Orihuela Costa to the Medieval Market was seen as a huge success once again, with over 200 passengers registering to use the service over the three day event. The town hall still maintain a regular bus service every Tuesday, al...

There are two ‘green mayors' in local Spanish politics, in the town of Villena to the north of Alicante, led by Javier Esquembre Menor, and in the city of Orihuela, where, if the censure motion recently filed by the PP is upheld, incumbent, 56 year old former music teacher Monserrate Guillen, could soon be removed from office. Both are ardent ecologists and both say they are totally are committed to environmental sustainability.

Whilst many would say that Gullen pays little more than ‘lip service' to the Orihuela Costa, one coastal petition that he does pursue with some passion is the ongoing battle to protect the very last mile of pristine coastline at Cala Mosca.

Guillen and his coalition government, with PSPV-PSOE, continue to put forward environmental arguments that will slow down or even halt the development plan at Cala Mosca, a project approved by the previous PP government, which will see the construction of 1,700 homes.

Of the 12 PP councilors in the capital of La Vega Baja, where such crimes are said to be almost endemic, 5 are currently facing accusations or charges of corruption, so the defense of that last mile of unspoiled beach has now become symbolic, especially when, of the 40,000 properties currently standing on the Orihuela Costa there are said to be up to 10,000 that have no certificate of occupancy. Former councilor Antonia Morena said it was hardly surprising as for many years there was little thought given to planning, from private pools to public roads, everything was so haphazard.

The development project was approved by an absolute majority amongst the PP in 2007. The mayor at the time was Monica Lorente, who is now in opposition, and is currently awaiting corruption proceedings in two cases with the ongoing possibility of a third.

Cala Mosca waters are within a maritime protection zone which accommodates one particular genus of flowering plants Posidonia, seagrass, found only in the seas of the Mediterranean. On land there are two other uncommon species, the snail Tudorella mauretanica which suffers from a threat of extinction and the plant, la jarilla de cabeza de gato, a bright yellow flower that is found only in some parts of the Peninsula, the Baleares, Sardinia and the Maghreb region of North Africa.

During a recent visit to the area by an MEP from the European Union, the City Council and the Ministry of Environment were told that that an environmental impact report needs to be carried out on Cala Mosca, and where endangered species are found, however insignificant they may seem, the Spanish authorities who must enforce the environmental community law which outlines the development of enforcement structures and best practices.

"But there are many other interests to weigh," Guillen lamented. “The impact on the local environment would be disastrous and no amount of money or of power should override that.”

However the words of the mayor contrast with those of lawyer Juan Enrique Serrano, who represents the Madrid based company, Grupo Inmobiliario Gomendio in Cala Mosca. "I understand that there is no conflict”, says Serrano, “we identified 5,000 plants and protected species and we have agreed to create a micro-reserve.” He draws on the examples in Marbella, Mijas, Fuengirola, Benicàssim and Torremolinos where there are buildings on at least 90% of the first 500 meters of coastline.

Indeed the company, who refer to themselves as ‘Creators Of Unique Environments' is already advertising the sale of the Cala Mosca properties on their website. One of three developments, the 2 bed apartments ‘El Bosque' costing between 105,000 and 140,000 euro, are said to be available during the last quarter of 2014.

‘Twitters from the Atlantic' - by Barrie Mahoney Barrie Mahoney was a head teacher and school inspector in the UK, as well as a reporter in Spain, before moving to the Canary Islands to launch and edit a new English language newspaper. He enjo...

The Department of Environment in Orihuela has commissioned a study from the University of Murcia to apply for two grants, one from the European Union and one from the Biodiversity Foundation, in order to afford protection of the endangered “jaril...

The mayor of Orihuela, Monseratte Guillén, along with his team, continues to insist that the regional government in Valencia honour and finish plans which were already begun, including the new school which is likely to be finished by the end of ...