Councillor Joan Simonet sends a letter to Minister Teresa Ribera to set out the Balearic Islands’ priority demands for achieving environmental and biodiversity objectives.

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Modification of forest fire regulations

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, has sent a letter to the Third Vice-President and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, to explain the main demands and proposals of the Government of the Balearic Islands within the scope of its competencies. The intention is to maintain a line of collaboration to fulfil the Balearic Islands’ agenda throughout the legislature and thus achieve the objectives set in environmental and biodiversity matters.

First of all, Simonet has put on the table the need to amend Royal Decree-Law 15/2022, of 1 August, which adopts urgent measures on forest fires. The councillor stated that it is essential to clarify the interpretation of Article 48.6. e) “the introduction and use of pyrotechnic material” and 48.6.a) “lighting fires in all types of open spaces”. Simonet stresses that it has to be determined whether the scope of application of “all types of open spaces” goes beyond forest land or whether, on the contrary, it is only applicable to open forest spaces.

In this sense, the councillor also took advantage of the letter to point out that annual planning for such a complex issue as the prevention of forest fires is illogical. For this reason, he called for the possibility of the autonomous communities approving ten-year or fortnightly plans. Likewise, and within the scope of the same regulations, Simonet has asked for the state of validity of the High-Risk Areas (HRA) for forest fires to be specified.

About the marine environment, the councillor expressed concern about the decree on phanerogams (Posidonia and cymodocea) that the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge is processing for the Spanish Mediterranean, given that it encroaches on the Balearic Islands’ competences, both in the environmental and territorial spheres.

On the other hand, Simonet expressed interest in continuing to collaborate with the Spanish government in the implementation of new actions to control invasive species, to defend and protect the biodiversity of the Balearic Islands. Specifically, the councillor pointed out that it is essential to implement conservation measures for catalogued species or species under special protection, as well as biosecurity measures and measures for the control and eradication of invasive species.

Finally, Simonet has conveyed to Minister Ribera the importance of working together on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals. In the latter case, the councillor requested that collaboration between the two administrations be strengthened in the monitoring of sea turtles.