MANIFESTO
- COMMITMENT TO A NEW ENERGY CULTURE
The
undersigned
Recognise:
1-
Catalonia has no powers to
regulate its own energy system.
2- The liberalisation of the electricity market which is be completed
in 2007 is characterised by a lack of openness and favours the interests of the
large utility companies when it comes to determining the country’s energy
requirements.
3-
Catalonia is a country which basically
depends on nuclear power for its electricity and at the same time is exceeding
the limits for emissions of greenhouse gases agreed in the Kyoto protocol.
4-
The imbalance between the
production and consumption of electricity perpetuates the regional tensions
which are a feature of a centralised energy model and create a need for an
inefficient power distribution system, which does not guarantee quality of
supply and has a considerable impact in territorial and health terms.
5- Southern Catalonia is where the most generating capacity
is installed, with 3,420MW (49% of the Catalan total), and where 73% of the
country’s power is generated.
However, this region accounts for only 13% of the power consumed in
Catalonia.
6-
Current planning in the sector
is based on deliberately biased scenarios of increasing demand to justify
increases in installed capacity out of all proportion, without encouraging
energy efficiency and saving.
7- Dependence on nuclear power is being maintained for the
future, while the number of gas-fired thermal power stations is being increased
(with plans to install a further 3,777MW).
8-
Wind power is being
implemented in the context of a centralised energy system. This means that proposals for large
power stations are being accepted which come into conflict with the maintenance
of areas of outstanding natural, culñtural and landscape value; this is the
case with the highest points in the southern coastal mountains, corridors and habitats
for specially-protected bird and animal life, the sites of the Battle of the
Ebro, the country churches of Puigcerver and Coll de l’Alba, etc.
9-
Southern Catalonia is where the
most generating capacity is to be installed: 2,400MW in thermal power stations
(Tarragona, Hospitalet de l’Infant, Riba-roja d’Ebre), representing 69% of
planned new capacity in this type of power station, and 1,377MW in windfarms
(over 1,000 turbines), representing 61% of new windfarms. Were all these projects to be
implemented, the proportion of Catalonia’s installed generating capacity in the
region would rise from 49% to 56%.
It is for these reasons that
We hereby make the
following commitments:
1- To achieve the full transfer of powers in the field of
energy policy.
2- To promote the drawing
up of a realistic Energy Plan, based on the following criteria:
§
to encourag energy efficiency
and saving.
§
to study current and future
energy requirements on the basis of real needs.
§
to plan the closure, with a
specific schedule, of the most dangerous, polluting power stations (coal fired
and fuel oil-fired thermal and nuclear facilities).
§
to replace them with a system
of electrical power generation which is decentralised and near to the places
where it is consumed, as well as being based on the use of more efficient
technologies and energies, such as renewable energies (solar, wind, biomass,
etc.), which adapt to territorial requirements while assuring compatibility
with the natural, cultural and landscape values of the territory.
§
to define regional sub-units
for electrical power supply and consumption, and assess their energy needs and
potential.
§ to draw up a financing plan to tax nuclear and
fossil-based power and provide real financial support for the implementation of
renewables.
3- To pay special attention to the preservation of spaces with
high natural, cultural and landscape value, avoiding the construction in such
spaces of windfarms and ancillary installations (access roads, power lines,
etc.) and taking into account the following factors in deciding their siting:
§ consideration of factors of density
§
optimisation of siting on the
basis of an improved Wind Power Map
§ use of the best technology available
§ consideration of the habitats and biological corridors
for rare and endangered species, prohibition of siting windfarms in areas important
for the conservation of these species. In the case of birds, nesting areas,
main hunting grounds, areas of major concentrations and the biological
corridors used by them must all be avoided. Avoiding impacts on areas which are
important for migratory birds and bats.
§
Consideration for habitats of
Community interest: prohibition of harm to areas of priority interest and
restriction of impacts on areas of non-priority interest.
§
Prohibition of siting
windfarms and ancillary installations in areas included in the PEIN (Catalan catalogue
of areas of natural interest) and non-PEIN areas which enjoy some type of legal
protection (Natura 2000 network, special bird protection areas, etc).
§
consideration of inventories
of cultural, historic and archaeological heritage.
§
application of the provisions
of the Europoean Landscape Convention to windfarm projects and plans.
§
consideration of the
principles of regional fairness (redistribution of burdens and benefits).
§ respect for local agreements which, following the same
principles as those expressed above, achieve consensus to make windfarm
implementation compatible with the protection of natural, cultural and
landscape heritage.
4- All necessary administrative measures will be taken to
freeze all types of power generation projects until they are included in an
Energy Plan incorporating the considerations outlined int his document, and
which is drawn up with the necessary degree of participation.
Signed in Tortosa on 10th November 2003
Iniciativa per Catalunya-Verds Esquerra Republicana
Esquerra Unida i Alternativa
de Catalunya
Plataforma Priorat
Plataforma
Ribera Ebre
Plataforma Terra Alta
Plataforma Baix Ebre