ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES         

The near extinction of Mar Menor is a gripping symbol of man’s wanton inhumanity to nature – Rajika Jayatilake

The right of people to own nature in the form of property and express that ownership by want only damaging or destroying it has led to an irreversibly damaged planet. As Mahatma Gandhi aptly said: “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not every man’s greed.”

A devastating case in point of humanity’s inhumanity to nature is Mar Menor, which is Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon in southeast Spain. For many years, it attracted tourists with its warm shallow water that is separated from the Mediterranean by a strip of sand known as La Manga.

Over the years, property development led to the construction of high-rise apartments on the La Manga sand strip, resulting in widespread environmental pollution and a gigantic rise in intensive agriculture. This region of Murcia accounts for 20 percent of Spain’s fruit and vegetable exports.

Although Mar Menor was supposed to be protected by several international conventions and classified as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and a Special Protection Area (SPA) for wild birds, human activity relentlessly destroyed the lagoon environment.

Despite the escalating human assault on Mar Menor’s fragile ecosystem, it valiantly supported not only the marine life of the lagoon but also the communities that lived there. But eventually, the ecosystem caved in.

The residue of nitrate rich fertiliser used in agriculture washed into the lagoon, leading to the insidious growth of algae. And the crystal clear water of the lagoon turned a murky grey with algae blooms, and the crisply salt laced air became fouled by the stench of rotting fish.

In recent years, there were large-scale fish and shellfish deaths. About three tons of fish died and washed ashore in 2019, followed by another five tons of marine life in 2021. Additionally, 85 percent of the lagoon’s seagrass died.

Realising that Mar Menor was on the brink of no return, Professor of Philosophy of Law at the University of Murcia Teresa Vincente initiated a landmark grassroots campaign to save the precious ecosystem from extinction.

She ultimately became a compelling lawyer who fought for nature’s rights.

Meanwhile, the riverbank communities began to understand that the irreparable damage to Mar Menor was destroying their lives too. Mar Menor, which had been the region’s main tourist draw since the 1970s, started losing its allure due to the ugly green algae turning the pure shimmering water into a murky soup. The fishing industry also collapsed and house prices plummeted.

Supported by the riverbank communities, Vincente created public awareness on the need to protect Mar Menor. She obtained the 600,000 signatures needed to propose a bill to get a law based on the legal stand­ards of nature’s rights enacted, which would ensure that the Mar Menor ecosystem has the right to exist.

After public demonstrations, meetings with relevant government officials and focussed media attention, Spanish lawmakers passed the bill into law in October 2022.

Mar Menor is now legally ‘a person’ – it is represented by a team of scientists, officials and citizens. Any citizen has the right to file a law suit if Mar Menor is in danger of being harmed.

Professor of Ecology at Spain’s University of Murcia Miguel Ángel Esteve-Selma says: “It’s as if the lagoon was gasping for breath.”

Close to two years after the law was passed, Mar Menor is slowly recovering and benefitting from the right to protection and conservation, and mitigation of environmental damage. Natural remedies are in place to bring the area back to good health.

A researcher in Murcia explains that planting hedges as a green belt around the Mar Menor coast was one remedy to reduce fertiliser runoffs washing into the lagoon. The results at the end of July last year spoke volumes since the green belt has been effectively capturing nitrates from the fertiliser.

The spill into the lagoon is 1.7 tons – compared six tons before the green belt was laid out.

Recently, Vincente became one of seven winners of the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize for her successful campaign that achieved the legal rights of a person for Mar Menor.

The Goldman Environmental Prize, which was founded in 1989 by American billionaire philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman, honours the achievements and leadership of grassroots environmental activists from around the world.

Vincente says: “Right now, Mar Menor is in intensive care – maybe it won’t go back to the same as it was when I was younger; but at least, it will have a life of dignity.”

Only environmental heroes such as Vincente understand the power and depth of the Aboriginal proverb, which reads: “Look after the land and the land will look after you; destroy the land and it will destroy you.”

Most humans are too busy destroying the Earth’s precious ecosystems to dwell on the wisdom of such words and will realise their folly only when it’s too late.