The sustainability report 2023 of the Sustainability Observatory of IbizaPreservation has highlighted the remarkable growth in population, tourism and transportation indicators in Ibiza, warning about the impact of this trend on the island’s resources and sustainability. Presented at the Sala Cultural de Sa Nostra, the report points to unprecedented figures in several aspects that shape life in Ibiza and highlights the urgency of responding to a high-impact tourism model. In the demographic field, the report’s data reflect a 13.4% increase in population over the last ten years, reaching an average of 218,384 people in 2023, a figure that reflects the constant pressure on the island’s services and infrastructures. This increase has gone hand in hand with a record-breaking flow of visitors, reaching 3,379,359 international tourists, 10.2 % more than in 2022. In addition, the number of cruise passengers has also grown, with 548,969 passengers disembarking in Ibiza in 2023, far exceeding pre-pandemic figures.

Transportation

In terms of transportation, the report reveals that 2023 was the year with the highest recorded air traffic to the island since data has been available. The movement of people by sea transport also grew, with an increase of 5.1%, while freight traffic rose by 5.7% compared to the previous year. On the other hand, the use of land public transport reached a record high, with more than 6 million passengers, representing an increase of 36.9% over 2022.

Environmental impact

However, growth has an environmental cost: the report highlights the increase in waste generation, which reached 117,416.9 tons in 2023, 1.5% more than in 2022, and notes that Ibiza is still far from the recycling targets set for 2025, although selective collection improved to 32.2% of total household waste. In terms of water resource management, only two of the island’s ten wastewater treatment plants met the standards for agricultural reuse, which has a negative impact in a context of drought pre-alert since 2022 and a 2023 characterized by a severe meteorological drought.

Energy

Finally, in terms of energy, the report notes that only 35.4% of electricity demand in Ibiza was covered by local generation in 2023, of which only 1% came from photovoltaic sources. Despite progress in measuring CO2 emissions, Ibiza still faces major challenges in meeting its sustainability targets, although progress is reported in organic agriculture with an increase in cultivated area and organic poultry farming. This analysis highlights Ibiza’s challenges in its transition to a sustainable development model, and underlines the need for concrete measures to address the impacts of growing tourism and its pressure on island resources.