Nature park and biodiversity preservation
The erosion of biodiversity in Ibiza is largely due to tourism. Land-use change (urbanization), environmental fragmentation (construction of transport infrastructures) and pollution (waste) have all contributed to the degradation and disappearance of natural areas and species. The island has also had to contend with the introduction of invasive exotic species, which has led to the eradication of some of these plant species. Protected areas have also been set up to preserve ecosystems and raise awareness among residents and visitors alike of the beauty and fragility of living things.
The Ses Salines Natural Park of Ibiza and Formentera, located between the two islands of the same name, is home to salt marshes. The coastline is made up of vast underwater meadows of Posidonia meadows, vital for maintaining the natural balance. These plant species produce oxygen, filter water, prevent erosion of the seabed, and feed and protect numerous species. The salt flats are home to a wide variety of resident and migratory birds. The park preserves marine and terrestrial ecosystems, including endemic species, which are also the result of interactions with human activities, namely salt farming. It is part of an area designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, under the heading "Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture", which includes archaeological and architectural elements. These include ancient shepherds' huts, a legacy of the island's pastoral past, and water reservoirs, testimony to the scarcity of water resources on the island. These elements of the landscape also serve to preserve the memory of a vanished agricultural activity, which also survives through folklore.
Also worth mentioning is the dels Freus Marine Reserve, also located between Ibiza and Formentera. The Es Vedra, Es Vedranell i de los islotes de poniente Nature Reserve, south-west of Ibiza, protects both marine and terrestrial ecosystems. It is home to the island's highest peak.
An ambitious waste reduction policy
Annual waste production in the Balearic Islands is estimated at around 800 kg per capita, one of the highest rates in Spain (source www.zerowastefrance.org). This production, linked to tourist numbers (18.7 million visitors in 2024), often exceeds the capacity of the archipelago's waste treatment centers (incinerators). This situation contributes to plastic pollution of the sea. The Mediterranean, which accounts for 1% of the world's marine waters, concentrates 7% of plastic pollution (source: WWF). Most of this pollution is invisible to the naked eye (plastics in the form of nano and micro-particles), and comes from aqueous effluents. Solid plastic detritus can also be found on the island, often after rainy periods. The Balearic Islands also suffer from other sources of marine pollution, and from the convergence of more distant pollution towards its shores, a phenomenon linked to the Liguro-Provençal-Catalan current.
Beach clean-up campaigns are regularly initiated by environmental protection associations. Faced with these challenges, the archipelago enacted a law in 2019 aimed at reducing waste at source. The law commits the Balearic Islands to a circular economy approach, a pioneering initiative in Spain, with quantified targets. In particular, it bans many single-use plastics containing micro-particles and nano-plastics, as well as water bottles. The law applies not only to households, but also to the hotel, catering and events sectors. It is accompanied by awareness-raising campaigns and financial incentives.
Facing climate change
Ibiza is particularly exposed to climate change. The issue of water could become even more pressing in an area that has already had to increase its seawater desalination capacity. The island could experience a greater frequency and intensity of extreme events: droughts, floods, storms. Added to this is the risk of land submergence (due to rising sea levels). Rising sea temperatures, for their part, disrupt ecosystems, with deleterious effects on plankton and the entire food chain. As a result, all living organisms are threatened. The Mediterranean Network of Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC), which brings together over 600 researchers, produced a report in November 2020 on environmental risks in the Mediterranean region, aimed at scientists and decision-makers. It calls for action to limit global warming and adapt to its effects. In response to the climate emergency, the Balearic government enacted a law in 2018 to establish a low-carbon strategy. This is based on a ban on new diesel cars from 2025, the development of renewable energies (including solar thermal, electric cars) and the closure of thermal power plants by 2035, in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The aim is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The island also offers opportunities for ecotourism: walking and cycling itineraries, local produce and sober use of resources. A tourism tax was introduced in 2016, the proceeds of which are used to fund environmental projects.
In our everyday actions, we are also agents of change in favor of the climate and biodiversity. Reasonable consumption of resources (water, energy), adopting a "zero waste" approach and choosing products that are not harmful to the environment (sun creams without chemical filters) are all examples of an "ecofriendly" stay in Ibiza.
