Stop the huge expansion of the port of Valencia

Don’t allow a key ecosystem in southern Europe and Nature 2000 Network to be destroyed. Let's save the natural park of l'Albufera of Valencia.

To: President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen,
Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius.
Commissioner of Transport, Adina Vălean.

The city of Valencia hosts the Natural Park of l'Albufera, with a Wetland of International Importance (RAMSAR Convention). However, a threat has loomed over this valuable ecosystem since the early 2000s that could lead to its disappearance: the recent expansion of the Port of Valencia.

A first expansion of the port already happened with European funds. 74 million euros were allocated to build the north dam of the port, whose consequences are still experienced by the environment and city of Valencia. This first expansion caused the disappearance of the Southern beaches, a threat to the Natural Park of l'Albufera, serious impacts on the seabed and an exponential increase in air pollution, affecting especially the health of people living near coastal neighborhoods but with consequences throughout the metropolitan area.

Now, the Port Authority of Valencia, with the support of the current Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility and the regional government, intends to expand the area, leading to more and greater impacts. The new expansion proposal only responds to speculative interests of one of the most polluting transportation multinational corporations on the planet, and the dramatic consequences for the Mediterranean Sea and the city of Valencia remain unacceptable.

What is worse, the authorities modified the original project and have refused to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement according to the real project despite numerous reports warning of risks to the Albufera Natural Park, an area protected by the Natura 2000 Network.

Advocates for this expansion are lying. Maritime container traffic is decreasing worldwide, and the current infrastructure of the Port of Valencia already has sufficient capacity to increase its workload if necessary. Not to mention the large number of jobs that are used as blackmail, as claimed by workers' unions.

We cannot allow public funds to be used for unsustainable projects that violate the Paris Agreement, the European Green Deal, and the new European directive, Restoration Law.

It's time to save l’Albufera and say #NOtoEXPANSION