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ARCHIVED - El Prat airport expansion suspended in Barcelona
Ecologists in Barcelona consider it a ‘great victory’ that the protected land around the airport won’t be threatened
Just weeks after its inception, the 1.7 billion euro expansion project for Barcelona’s El Prat airport has ground to a halt following a row with the Catalan regional government. Now, the Spanish central government and state airport authority Aena have ruled out any building work until at least 2026.
Zeroport, a platform that brings together a hundred social and environmental organisations, has strenuously opposed the extension of the third runway in El Prat, on the grounds that it would increase harmful emissions and have a negative impact on the protected surroundings of La Ricarda. This valuable lagoon, one of the few natural wetlands in the urban area to the south of Barcelona, is protected within the Natura 2000 Network.
The expansion plans divided Catalan politicians at all levels, with Podemos calling the proposal a “climate attack”, while others supported the initiative on the basis that it would create some 85,000 jobs while extending the region’s GDP by two points.
On announcing the decision to suspend the works on Wednesday, September 8, Minister of Transport Raquel Sánche criticised the Spanish government for their lack of support for the project and the CCOO and UGT unions have called for the immediate reopening of negotiations, insisting that the airport infrastructure can be improved without negatively affecting the natural environment.
Despite the El Prat project coming to a standstill, Zeroport still plans to hold a demonstration scheduled for September 19 against expansions at the Reus and Girona airports and the AVE connection between them. The group also intends to propose a restructuring plan for Aena that includes the closure of airports not showing profits and the elimination of short flights.
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