Published: 26 Nov 2010
Modified: 11 May 2020
Some of the key measures and initiatives implemented in Spain to ensure sustainable management of the natural environment and prevent biodiversity loss are listed below.
- National strategies to conserve endangered species (1999–2008): The Spanish National Catalogue of Endangered Species is one of the catalogues that will be integrated into the National Inventory of Natural Heritage and Biodiversity under Law 42/2007, on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity.
- Protection of wetlands – Ramsar Convention (1982): Spain ratified the Ramsar Convention in 1982. In 2004, it created the Spanish National Wetlands Inventory, which is based on information provided by the country's regional governments. The Ramsar Convention lists a total of 68 Spanish wetlands covering 284.921 ha.
- Protection of coastal ecosystems: Spain has taken major steps towards achieving this objective and participates in the OSPAR Convention and the Barcelona Convention. At present, 9 of the 21 areas included in the list of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) are on the Spanish coastline. To date, the main protected areas are the Atlantic Islands National Park (since 2002), La Cabrera Archipelago National Park (1991) and the Cabo de Gata-Nijar Nature Park (1987), all of which comprise marine and terrestrial areas. In addition, the Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Law establishes a specific Marine Protected Area (MPA) category, the first of which is the ‘El Cachucho’ area located 60 km off the Asturian coast in the Bay of Biscay.
- Recent legislative initiatives (2007) – Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Law and Sustainable Rural Development Law: Looking towards the future, two pieces of national legislation will have a direct short-to-medium-term effect on all of Spain's biodiversity conservation plans and programmes. These are the Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Law and the Sustainable Rural Development Law, implementation of which takes every aspect of the natural environment into consideration.
- Law 42/2007, of 13 December 2008, on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity, establishes the basic legal framework for conservation, sustainable use, improvement and restoration of natural heritage and biodiversity and is based on the duty to conserve and the right to enjoy an environment appropriate for personal development.
- Law 45/2007, of 13 December 2007, on Sustainable Development of the Rural Environment, regulates and establishes basic measures to favour rural economic, social and environmental development to improve quality of life for the inhabitants of the rural environment whilst promoting protection and appropriate use of ecosystems and natural resources.
Sources:
Document Actions
Share with others