Cabo de Palos the Legacy of the Mediterranean

Francisco Javier Ferrer Martínez : 5 minutes

* Special mention from the JURY, ecological awareness.

Human activity on planet Earth has been such that it has been capable of diverting the evolutionary trajectory of biodiversity and the ecosystems that support it, towards a new and uncertain stage (the Anthropocene), marked by what many already consider to be the sixth extinction. As early as 1974, many scientists and nature scholars, such as Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, warned us of the dire consequences of the mistreatment of the planet, its biosphere and oceans, as a result of pollution, the widespread use of plastics, agricultural waste, overfishing, deforestation, etc.

Unfortunately, only half a century later we are direct witnesses to this terrible prediction, to which we must add the effects of global climate change, which affects all levels and scales of the planet and human society itself. The solutions to reverse this situation have been known for a long time, they just need to be applied, and urgently.

The protection of marine areas is a real and effective example of these solutions. The scientific community has provided abundant evidence from all over the world showing that the protection of marine areas, both coastal and oceanic, in the long term not only benefits marine biodiversity and the habitats that support it, but also has a very positive impact on the fishing sector and the local economy. After 25 years since its declaration, the Cabo de Palos-Islas Hormigas Marine Reserve is a clear example of this formula that gives us hope for a more sustainable future.