Murcia's new nitrate plan faces criticism from environmental groups

Environmental organisation says the regional government's latest proposals repeat measures that have failed for more than two decades to stop pollution reaching the Mar Menor

Environmental group Ecologistas en Acción has criticised the Region of Murcia's new plans to tackle nitrate pollution, warning the measures are unlikely to improve water quality or prevent further damage such as algal blooms and ecological decline in the Mar Menor.

The organisation says many of the rules in the updated plans already exist and argues the proposals do not go far enough to tackle one of the Region's biggest environmental problems properly.

The debate has reopened tensions between the regional government, farming organisations and environmental campaigners over how Murcia should deal with rising nitrate pollution linked to agriculture and livestock farming. While the regional government insists the plans are designed to protect groundwater reserves and the Mar Menor without damaging the agricultural sector, environmentalists say the proposals arrive too late and do not go far enough.

Ecologistas en Acción has submitted objections to both the general nitrate action programme for the Region of Murcia and the specific programme covering the Campo de Cartagena.

Why Ecologistas en Acción are criticising the new plans 

One of the group's main criticisms is the delays. The current programme was approved in 2016 and, under EU rules, should be reviewed every four years. Environmentalists say this means it should have been updated in 2020 and again in 2024. They say the delay shows a lack of political urgency.

The criticism comes as concerns continue over the environmental condition of the Mar Menor, which has suffered repeated ecological crises in recent years linked to nutrient pollution and eutrophication.

According to Ecologistas en Acción, many of the measures included in the new proposals are already covered under existing legislation, including laws protecting the Mar Menor. 

Campaigners also say the plans continue to rely heavily on administrative requirements such as reports, records and paperwork, rather than increasing physical inspections and direct environmental monitoring. They say this type of on-the-ground work would have more of an impact.

The programme for the Campo de Cartagena has also been criticised. Environmentalists argue the area around the Mar Menor should face stricter rules because of its environmental sensitivity, but say many of the measures are virtually the same as those in the main regional plan.

More than 100 objections were reportedly submitted during the public consultation process, with farmers' groups also raising concerns about the possible economic and administrative impact of the proposals, particularly for smaller farms and livestock businesses.

Regional authorities have defended the draft measures in recent weeks, saying the plans are still being revised and that changes are being made to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy. 

Despite that, Ecologistas en Acción maintains that existing measures have failed to stop pollution levels from increasing. The group points to official environmental data showing nitrogen surpluses in the Region of Murcia have continued to rise over the last decade and remain above the national average.

The organisation is now calling for a deeper and more effective review of both programmes, warning that continuing with measures that have already failed risks further damage to the Mar Menor.

Read also:Tap water nitrates exceed safe levels in over half of Spain's towns

Images: Archive