One of Europe’s natural treasures is being pillaged - now's the time to act to save it.
Doñana, a UNESCO world heritage site in Southern Spain, is home to some of the most beautiful creatures on our planet like the endangered Iberian lynx. [1] Each year, hundreds of thousands of birds depend on this nature reserve for breeding, wintering or resting during their migration to Africa. [2]
But, this protected wetland is dying of thirst. Illegal strawberry farms have tapped into the water sources, sucking the wetlands dry to grow their crops. Worse still, the Andalusian regional government is shaping up to approve an amnesty for illegally irrigated farms. [3]
Already threatened by biodiversity loss due to the climate crisis, drought and exploitation, the new law the Andalusian government is proposing will put Doñana even more at risk. [4]
The European Commission has an onus to protect such a unique areas rich with biodiversity. It’s already spoken up and put much needed pressure on the Andalusicisan government but it must keep the pressure on. [5] That’s where we come in.
Now is the time to give the European Commission the backing it needs with a massive people-powered petition urging them to intervene to save Doñana.
The water crisis is spreading across Europe as the interests of large corporations continue to take precedence over caring for nature and the species that inhabit it. We can stop it before it is too late and ecocidal policies endanger more nature reserves in Europe. [6]