After almost a year of work, IbizaPreservation has recently launched its Action Plan 2025. A strong commitment with innovative measures from different branches, which converge in an ambitious goal: “To achieve a more sustainable socio-environmental model for the Pitiusas, with concrete and measurable initiatives,” summarizes Inma Saranova, director of this non-profit foundation, for La Voz de Ibiza. With a budget of around 700,000 euros, the Action Plan 2025 includes various initiatives among which Formentera Produce, a program that takes the Ibiza model to promote local production and includes the planting of 1,000 native trees. Or the development of a protocol to protect the Pitiusa lizard and prevent the translocation of snakes between the islands. Also circular economy initiatives, such as Tejiendo futuro, which deals with marine waste and promotes handicrafts. Or other actions to care for the area’s marine fauna. “This plan has been possible thanks to the participation of a wide network of collaborators and the exchange of ideas in meetings we have held with a broad spectrum of society,” he explains when presenting the plan to La Voz de Ibiza. What actors stand out in the development of the plan?
– Public entities such as technicians from the island councils and various local NGOs working in environmental conservation as Amics de la Terra or Gen/Gob. It has also been key the contribution of representatives of the agricultural sector, the tourism sector, as we have held meetings with business associations such as the Hotel Federation and civil society, because many of our actions require their direct involvement. All these actors have contributed technical knowledge, scientific data and, above all, a realistic view of the challenges we face in Ibiza and Formentera and how to address them effectively from our entity.
How long has this process lasted? What does the plan seek to achieve overall? Why have certain programs been prioritized over others?
– – What is the overall objective of the plan? – Why have certain programs been prioritized over others? – What is the overall objective of the plan? The development of the 2025 Action Plan has taken almost a year of work. We started with a phase of needs assessment and data collection through the Sustainability Observatory, followed by consultations with experts and key organizations. Our overall objective is to consolidate a more sustainable socio-environmental model for Ibiza and Formentera, with concrete and measurable initiatives. The priorities of the plan have been determined by the urgency of certain issues, such as biodiversity loss, climate change and the need to improve the circular economy. We have also taken into account those areas where we can generate a greater impact with the available resources.
Observatory
In 2018, IbizaPreservation launched the Ibiza Sustainability Observatory, with the aim of tracking the evolution of socio-environmental issues from a scientific, data-driven perspective.
-The Observatory has been in operation for more than six years. What are the most relevant and striking data you have collected during this time?
–Thelast annual report showed that the island of Ibiza reached record highs in population, tourism and transport in 2023. Regarding the population increase, this has continued over the last decade to reach 13.4% last year, with an average annual Human Pressure Index of 218,384 people, to which is added the record number of tourists in 2023, with 3,379,359 visitors, which is 10.2% more than 2022. In addition, the report incorporated a new indicator that reveals that during 2023, a total of 548,969 cruise passengers disembarked on the island, a significant increase over 2019, when Ibiza received 395,235. On the other hand, in relation to transport indicators, last year saw the “highest air flow” of passengers in the entire series studied (1990-2023), with 8.9 million people and an increase of 9.6% over 2022. There was also a 5.1% increase in maritime transport movement, with three million travelers. How has the Observatory been useful for the development of programs?
-TheObservatory allows us to make decisions based on concrete data. For example, thanks to its analysis on waste, we have strengthened our actions in circular economy. In addition, its monitoring work allows us to measure the impact of our actions and correct strategies when necessary. What kind of decisions have you made based on data obtained thanks to the Observatory?
-Forexample, the data showing us the need to improve in terms of reducing food waste and improving the selective separation of organic waste has made us move from our Plastic Free program in Ibiza and Formentera to a Circular Economy program that helps us reduce waste without focusing solely on the fight against plastic pollution.
Initiatives of all kinds
Among the novelties of the Action Plan 2025, IbizaPreservation has highlighted the launch of ‘Formentera Produce’, which follows the path of the already consolidated ‘Ibiza Produce’ program. On the other hand, the organization will launch the Sembra Futur Forum, an initiative aimed at young people that seeks to promote interest in professional careers linked to the rural sector. In addition, in the field of local biodiversity protection, IbizaPreservation will carry out the expansion of the Protegim Ses Sargantanes project, which seeks to prevent the extinction of the Pitiusa lizard by installing snake traps both in protected areas and on farms. At the same time, IbizaPreservation will develop a joint project with its sister entities, MallorcaPreservation and MenorcaPreservation, called ‘Weaving the Future: Alliance for the Preservation of the Balearic Islands’, a new initiative that will address the problem of marine debris through a pioneering study on the state of the seabed in the Balearic Islands. This project also contemplates the creation of a circular crafts network that will seek to transform recycled materials into unique products, promoting a more sustainable economic model. Of the different programs in the plan, have any of them been inspired by successful initiatives elsewhere?
-Yes, several of our projects have been inspired by successful models elsewhere. For example, the biosecurity protocol to prevent the entry of snakes in the port of La Savina follows the path of previous experiences in places like the Canary Islands and New Zealand, where effective strategies have been implemented to prevent the entry of invasive species. Our project to create habitats for pollinators is also part of the global project “Regenerating Butterflies” promoted by Astrid Vargas, which has been very successful in places like Murcia. Likewise, the circular economy project “Tejiendo futuro, Alianza para la Preservación de Baleares” is based on previous experiences carried out in Menorca with the PescArt project, among others.
-Could you give me details about the biosecurity protocol in the port of La Savina?
-The protocol seeks to prevent the translocation of snakes from Ibiza to Formentera. Last year we laid the groundwork so that now, in 2025, the agents involved in the process can implement concrete measures such as installing traps at key points or working with transport companies to inspect goods and luggage. This year we will also launch awareness campaigns to inform residents and visitors on how to prevent the spread of invasive species.
-One of the focuses will be to raise awareness about biodiversity care. What activities are planned?
-We will have educational workshops, activities for families and the distribution of a toolkit for friends of lizards with key information on how to protect local biodiversity.
-The fifth edition of Kilometers of Plastic for Iris is coming up, a program that encourages young people to get involved in caring for the environment. What impact has this program had in previous years?
-We have seen young people who have changed their habits and have become environmental activists. In addition, the solutions they propose in the videos they have made in previous editions have been very interesting and many of them are innovative and easy to do and replicate.
