A few days ago now – my where does the time go? – Franciso Camps, President of the Comunidad Valenciana and also head of the Partido Popular (right-wing) in this autonomous region gave his end-of-year speech. In it, he promised sustainable development for the region:
“… la sostenibilidad, la prosperidad y el futuro de la Comunitat”1
In the same speech, he goes on to state his support for the canalisation of the Rio Ebro from Catalunya south to Valencia. This project was first proposed by the then-governing PP in 2000 as a solution to Spain’s chronic water shortages. The Iberian peninsula is the driest part of Europe, (2) and the southern/Mediterranean regions are the driest of all.
It seems funny yet wholly appropriate that a politician should both vouch for his commitment to that lovely keyword “sustainability” whilst maintaining the status quo with regard to development. Wouldn’t the sustainable solution be to implement water-saving measures, recycle grey water and stop building golf courses in the desert for heaven’s sake?
