THE 13 riverside municipalities of the Albufera Natural Park in Valencia have joined forces by signing an institutional declaration for this natural space to be declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, for which they will present an application “solid“United we can change things,” said Mayor José Catalá.
The Lonja de la Seda hosted the event in which, for the first time, the 13 riverside municipalities of the Albufera formed a common front for the future of the lake, despite being municipalities of different political colours.
The signatories of the declaration are Salvador MasarocaMayor of Beniparrell; Jose Antonio Roigfrom Albalat de la Ribera; Vicente Codonerfrom Sollana; Francisco Antonio comesfrom Massanassa; Jose Francisco Cabanesby Sedavi; Jose Miguel Ferrisby Albal; Vicente Zaragozaby Silla; Empar Martinezfirst deputy mayor of Alfafar; Jordi Mairefrom Cullera; Jose Javier Sanchisfrom Algemesí; Julien Saezfrom Sweden; Lorena Sirventfrom Catarroja, and Mª José Catalá from Valencia.
The mayors of Valencia and Cullera participated in the event, Jordi Maire -representing the rest of the participating localities- and representatives of the scientific community such as the Jaume I awards were present José Antonio Sobrino and Ángel Rubioas well as the rector of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), José E. Capillaregional and provincial deputies and councilors.
“We will submit to the government the declaration to broaden the common front and present to UNESCO a solid and national candidacy in the broad sense of the term,” announced Catalá after describing this “great political pact” as a collective success above politics: “Today, our ideology is the Albufera.”
The first mayor assured that today a “decisive step” and “full of hope” is being taken for the future of “our great natural treasure” of incalculable value that “belongs to all humanity.”United, we have the power to change things“, he said, and advocated responding to the “growing clamour” for the protection of the natural park.
After recalling the flood that caused more than 60 years ago a “before and after“For Valencia, Catalá indicated that “the next chapter is the Albufera”, a path in which he denied that the binomial between sustainability and economy is incompatible.
At the same time, he announced that the City Council is able to obtain in the short term the first CO2 absorption credits in the Albufera, with state funds. Thanks to these credits, companies or the municipality itself will be able to make investments that “will last over time” beyond the European Green Capital 2024.
Consensus
Looking to the future, the mayor of Valencia urged city councils to follow this path and “put more consensus above ideology” for the benefit of citizens.
Representing the rest of the town halls, the first mayor of Cullera agreed to highlight the common front achieved through a “frank and serene” dialogue in which “there is neither right nor left.”It is a symbol of what we could do if we banished from political debate what science considers incontestable.” he said.
The Albufera, he said, “must be defended collectively and cannot and must not be used by anyone”, because “it is a heritage that we are obliged to bequeath to future generations and not destroy it”.
He therefore asks to take this ecosystem out of the “sterile political debate” and for this to be the beginning of a “long dynamic of many projects with one voice”.
On behalf of the Generalitat, the Minister of the Environment, Vicente Martinez Musstressed that the institutional declaration sends a “clear and strong message” to defend the Albufera “above political acronyms”, which is why he guaranteed that the Consell would continue to ensure the balance of this ecosystem and its compatibility with the economic activities and access of citizens.
Furthermore, Martínez Mus reiterated the need for the Albufera to have the necessary amount of water and called for collaboration with the scientific community to “analyze the past, present and future” of these natural spaces.
