SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 26th May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Lorena López, the Sumar-Nueva Canarias-bc candidate for the European elections, engaged in a stroll through the Anaga Rural Park in Tenerife today, Sunday. She emphasised the significance of conserving natural settings and the importance of active participation in protecting and upholding the land.
López outlined their dedication to reforming the European Tourism Agenda 2030 by proposing a universal ecotax in major tourist hubs. She stressed on the necessity recognised by the European Union to control unrestrained expansion in delicate regions facing challenges in public amenities like water and energy.
Asserting her stance, López expressed, “The Canary Islands boast 146 Protected Natural Areas, encompassing roughly 36% of the region. It’s imperative that we nurture and shield them from the repercussions of climate change and the surge in mass tourism being witnessed on the Islands.”
“Consequently, we advocate, both in the Canary Islands and in Brussels, for the establishment of preservation mechanisms for natural areas. This entails ensuring their conservation, imposing constraints on land utilisation, discontinuing a developmental tourism model impacting the Archipelago’s inhabitants and depleting natural reservoirs, along with implementing a dedicated ecotax aimed at safeguarding our biodiversity and landscapes,” she further added.
López insisted on the ongoing need to “safeguard our mountains from incidents such as wildfires and droughts, securing additional material and financial resources through the European Union for extinguishing large fires, formulating effective prevention strategies, and promoting public awareness initiatives.”
Emphasising this stance, López highlighted that Sumar-Nueva Canarias “stands as the singular political entity championing the transformation of the Canary Islands into an eco-friendly destination, fostering a sustainable tourism paradigm benefiting primarily the local populace. This is achieved by enhancing public amenities and infrastructure, and conserving the scenic beauty of the region.”
Adding to these endeavours, the candidate elaborated, “The joint program agreed upon between Nueva Canarias-BC and Sumar also envisions initiatives such as facilitating the interconnection of natural habitats linked by the Natura 2000 Network via a series of European ecological corridors.”
“Moreover, we are committed in Brussels to expediting the enactment of the Nature Restoration Law, with particular emphasis on attaining its interim goals and revising upwards its ultimate objectives. We will also broaden efforts toward protecting and rehabilitating ecosystems and species, striving to shield at least 30% of land and marine areas by 2030,” López concluded.
