November 2017 News Headlines

Promoting artificial reefs

Nov 26th
Thursday, November 23, the Municipal Sports Foundation of Valencia and Innogate to Europe held in collaboration with the Arrecifes Valencia Project and the European ArtReefs Project (co-funded by the European Union), the first meeting entitled: " Recreational artificial reefs: opportunities for sustainable tourism and coastal management . " Artificial reefs are coastal management tools that combine protection of the marine environment with ecological development and also generate opportunities in the scientific, educational, sports and tourism sectors, such as diving, fishing and surfing. In Valencia, experts from the European ArtReefs Project , the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund of the European Commission and the Arrecifes Valencia Project met to share experiences, analyze the evolution and results of artificial reefs, their management and opportunities for collaboration and European financing. There is already an artificial reef in Valencia, off the Malvarrosa Beach. This is the Arrecifes Valencia Project, led by the Municipal Sports Foundation of Valencia , born in 2013 and a reality in August 2014. It is a recreational artificial reef that combines sports and the environment, promoting recreational diving, improving the underwater landscape and the regeneration of the marine ecosystem as well as the protection of the beaches from erosion. from El Desmarque

Study of Xabia seabed ends

Nov 26th
The Oceanogràfic Foundation, has completed the second sampling program of the Xàbia sea-bed which began in October. The objective of this study is to obtain data on biodiversity (description, structure and state of conservation) of the area with the ultimate goal of consolidating knowledge on the current status and comparing the state of that same sea-floor community of animals and plants, and how they have been affected by human activity before and after the summer period. They will also be looking at the social, cultural and economic relevance. The Foundation has chosen Xàbia for this important action since it is a hot spot for biodiversity in the Mediterranean and there is considerable knowledge of the environment. From Econoticias

Denia uses Posodonia (sea grass) barriers to prevent beach erosion.

Nov 15th
During November, the Ajuntament de Dénia has begun to "build" posidonia dams on different beaches of the municipality with the aim of curbing erosion and preventing storms from washing the sand away. Last year this was done at the Marineta Cassiana beach, achieving a 20% increase in dry beach and will be extended to other beaches this year. The barriers will remain there until the easter. This is a recognised and valued environmental action, and recommended even from the Blue Flag protocol, candidacies for which are being prepared for next season. From La Marina Plaza

Plans for a charming hotel on the Old Town

Nov 15th
An entrepreneur is planning making the building which houses the Sabadell bank in the old town (Plaza Celestino Pons) into a cosy, charming hotel. Built at the end of the 19th century, the house has two parts occupied by the bank and another part which overlooks calle Roques. It looks in good condition on the outside, apart from some graffiti, but inside is a different story. The idea is to convert the top two floors into a small hotel. From : La Marina PLaza.

The Marina Alta - three different economic zones

Nov 19th
The Marina Alta has joined forces to fight unemployment and define strategies to boost the regional economy. Under the umbrella of the Consortium for the Economic Recovery and Activity of the Marina Alta (Creama), the municipalities of the region have come together in the Territorial Agreement for Employment and Local Development. They have a valuable tool: the Territorial Diagnosis of the Marina Alta. A detailed study of the Marina Alta, as a socio-economic unit, which shows that it is heterogeneous and can be roughly divided into three areas: The coast (with its sun and beach tourism), the Interior (which suffers from depopulation, lack of agricultural prospects and poor infrastructure) and an intermediate zone between the two. Actions to improve the economy need to be tailored the area concerned and complementary to those of other areas. The bad transport communications, both within and connecting areas, are a common problem affecting all areas. From: La Marina Plaza. For more detailed information see: Territorial Diagnosis of the Marina Alta

November 2017 set to be driest in 36 years

Nov 19th
It it does not rain in Spain in the next few days, this November will go down on record as being the driest in 36 years, warns the State meteorological agency, AEMET. And this is likely to spell impending disaster for water supplies – although agricultural minister Isabel Tejerina has assured on-tap water across the country is guaranteed until at least the end of the year, reservoirs are currently at an historic low of 37% - the worst in 22 years. Autumn usually brings monsoons to the Mediterranean lasting several days, and between October and December, heavy rain is a regular feature, but the last four or five years have seen the rain dry up with few downpours and showers only appearing briefly every couple of months. December is expected to be much warmer than usual, meaning little hope for rain next month, either. For full story see: ThinkSpain

Xàbia to re-submit revised EDUSI project

Nov 14th
The Xàbia Town Council has unanimously agreed to submit a revised EDUSI project to obtain co-finance from the European Union to carry out projects on integrated urban development (for details of original project see: EDUSI Integrated sustainable Urban development . The original project was put forward last year, and was very close to being successful in obtaining the funding. The Council has been in touch with the authorities to see how the proposal can be improved at the formal level. The Opposition voted in favour, but regretted that there had been such weak citizen participation. From:Las Provincias and Javeamigos

British tourism in the Valencian Comunidad this winter to increase double the National rate.

Nov 12th
The number of British tourists will grow 16% in the Comunitat Valenciana this winter, double that in the whole of the country, according to data from the Turespaña office in London, which President Ximo Puig noted during his visit to the World Travel Market fair . He commented that the Valencian Tourism Agency will direct its new strategy towards an open minded cosmopolitan traveller with a higher spending power. From: Las Provincias

Valencia Plastics technology centre, coordinator for EU "Life Recypack" project

Nov 12th
The Valencian Plastics Technology Centre AIMPLAS has launched the Life Recypack project, a pilot program program aiming to reincorporate the waste derived from polyethylene and expanded polystyrene into the productive cycle, eliminating them as solid urban waste and renewing the product as raw material. Plastics such as polyethylene and expanded polystyrene - popularly known as "white cork" - are usually not included in domestic collection containers which are not adapted to accommodate this type of waste. The project covers three European regions: in Pisa (Italy), in Tiszaújváros (Hungary) and Valencia. In Valencia the establishment of a specific waste collection system for local businesses; In addition, "green points" will be installed so that SMEs can deposit the waste and encourage the collection of plastics. The European Commission, within the framework of the LIFE program, has approved a total budget of 984,466 euros, being subsidised by the fund up to a maximum of 566,323 euros, during the 30 months of project execution. From: LaVanguardia Click Here for information on the Life Recypack project from the EU.

Low Carbon cement from olive stones created in Valencia.

Nov 12th
Spanish and Brazilian researchers have developed a new type of cement from olive stone ash and slag from blast furnaces , a more sustainable alternative to the cements currently used, being the first in the world manufactured only with waste. The new cement has been created by researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) of Brazil. this new cement stands out especially for its " low carbon footprint " and its impact, in terms of greenhouse effect , "is much lower if compared with the cements currently used "in construction. In addition this opens a new business path for the recovery of a biomass i.e. Olive stones. In the tests carried out so far, the cement contained approximately twenty percent of olive stone ash and eighty percent of slag residues. The cfement is easy to make and has very good mechanical properties. From: Las Provincias

Drought in the Valencian region could worsen in the next quarter

Nov 7th
According to the the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), this winter is likely to be warm and dry. Tt is estimated that temperatures could oscillate between 12.5 and 14 degrees, and there is only a 10% chance that the weather will be cold over the next quarter. There is also a 60% chance that the winter months will be dry, as compared to a 25% chance of being wet, with less than average amounts of rain. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Environment, the Segura basin has the most troubled water reserves in Spain , with its marshes at only 14.2% capacity, followed by the reservoirs of the Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar, which are at 25.6%. from: Valencia Extra

Almost 300 Valencian municipalities at flood risk

Nov 6th
The Territorial Plan on the Prevention of Flood Risk in the Valencian Region (Patricova) is still underfunded . In 2013, the former Popular Party executive presented a revision of this document with half of the works planned for 2003 still needing to be executed. About 300 of the 541 municipalities have areas at risk of serious floods. The economic situation, especially since 2008 with the beginning of the crisis, led to a drastic reduction in investment in public works by both the State and the Generalitat, which has contributed to halt the implementation of this program. From: Las Provincias

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