Biodiversity is the most powerful natural defense against climate change. According to the United Nations, improving the ability of nature to absorb CO2 in the next decade could achieve the necessary reduction of about a third of greenhouse gases. It also plays a fundamental role in the adaptation and mitigation of the impacts of climate change, especially in cities, where most of the world’s population lives and where it will continue to grow in the future.
However, due to rapid urban expansion, biodiversity in cities is suffering an important setback. Trend that puts at risk, in addition to local ecosystems, the essential services they provide: air purification, pollination and climate regulation.
This circumstance, plus a high tourist activity and an environment of climate change, compromises the long -term viability and sustainability of many tourist destinations worldwide. Relevant situation in the islands, with numerous challenges and environmental impacts with specific risks for its biodiversity, social welfare and economic development.
Among the Mediterranean islands, Formentera is recognized for its biodiversity and landscapes, which makes it a first -order tourist destination and a natural heritage treasure. In fact, it houses a large concentration of endemic species.
Thus, and although tourism has contributed economic growth to the island, it also raises serious environmental risks, such as loss of biodiversity, water stress and a greater risk of desertification. Combined with the intensification of climate change, this fragile ecosystem is at the limit.
Living Formentera
In this context, the Living Formentera initiative was born, a project that raises a horizon for the temperature reduction of the island at least 1 ° C – 2 ° and 3 ° C in urbanized areas -, regenerating the land and improving water retention in 10% of the island territory; Embeller the landscape recovering traditional crops; promote sustainable mobility; Increase by 10% the absorption of CO2 and other pollutants, and mitigate the risks of forest fires.
The final objective of Living Formentera is to turn the island of the world leader of sustainable tourism through a strategic investment in biodiversity and recovery of lost traditions on the island.
Promoted by the Baleària and Conservation Collective Foundation, it has been presented this week. In the act, the president of Baleària, Adolfo Utor, stressed that «Formentera is much more than a destination: it is a unique conservation model. This project, aligned with our values, gives us the opportunity to actively contribute to the recovery of its biodiversity, in addition to raising awareness of residents and visitors about the importance of maintaining and preserving this unique environment with public-private projects ».
For his part, the president of Nature & People Foundation, Juan Costa, stressed that “the global economy will not grow if we do not begin to invest in biodiversity. The time has come to rethink progress and recover all those traditional activities that contributed to the preservation of biodiversity and sustainability ».
Situation, objectives and path
The comprehensive study of the situation of its biodiversity has revealed that the island currently has about two million trees and 30 bushes, which give arboreal coverage of 19 % of the island, reduced to 10 % in urban areas. In fact, forest areas are concentrated in remote areas such as La Mola and Cap de Barbaria. In addition, the island barely retains 42% of its primary vegetation and many traditional crops have been lost. Therefore, the cooling effect that the vegetation lends is a 1 ° C less than in other Balearic Islands.
Living Formentera’s proposal raises ambitious, but attainable objectives. Mitigating these negative aspects, reducing the heat island effect and protecting and increasing its biodiversity would require increase vegetation with 475,000 native trees and 1,000 bushes, and reintroduce traditional and native crops of Formentera.
Carrying out Living Formentera is an investment of around 20 million euros. In return, the ecosystem benefits generated are calculated by up to 90 million euros per year, once the vegetation reaches a certain development. Preliminary analyzes point out that for each euro invested on the island a return of more than 50 euros will be obtained.
The plan proposes an innovative mechanism: the creation of urban biodiversity credits (UBC) using the Urban Biodiversity Standard (UBS) developed by Nature & People Foundation. Formentera will be the first island to test this novel initiative with which it is intended to involve the private sector in the repopulation strategy.