Nov 02 – GSLP-Libs Proud Of Environmental Track Record As Party Unveils Green Policies For Gibraltar
Four years with Dr John Cortes steering the GSLP-Liberals’ environmental agenda in Government have led to “huge steps” that have included, among others, a recycling programme, a significant reinvestment in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, a park in the heart of town and evidence-based decision making at the highest levels.
This was the message from a press conference at the GSLP’s town office this afternoon where the party detailed its past achievements and provided some hints as to which policies will be more fully developed in its upcoming manifesto.
“MR ENVIRONMENT BECOMES MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT”
There were words of praise from GSLP Leader Fabian Picardo as he spoke of Dr Cortes’ expertise and past experience in environmental matters and his achievements in the last four years.
“One of the leading mantras at the 2011 GSLP-Liberal election campaign was that in our cabinet, every minister would be a Minister for the Environment [….] every decision we have made has been based on an analysis of what it would mean to the environment,” he said.
Dr Cortes said that he had experienced no contradiction or difficulty in adopting the role of a Government Minister after having spent most of his career as an environmentalist.
“I have never had any reason to compromise on any of my environmental beliefs or principles; I have had every support from my colleagues,” he said.
ARTIFICIAL REEF
Mr Picardo said that some of the landmark environmental decisions his administration had taken had not enjoyed support across the political spectrum. He singled out and defended the decision to create an artificial reef in waters off the runway in 2013 saying that this environmental measure to improve marine protection also had important implications for British sovereignty over the waters.
“This is the single act which has most helped to demonstrate that the waters around Gibraltar are British in particular after the positive finding following the investigation by the European Commission,” he explained.
GSLP-LIBS ACHIEVEMENTS
Among the successes achieved by his party while in power, Dr Cortes highlighted the fact that all Government projects and tenders were now assessed according to environmental criteria.
He said that air and water quality monitoring had expanded and that data collected was directly informing policies like the decision to opt for an LNG-fuelled power station.
Dr Cortes also noted that his party had introduced an extensive and popular recycling programme, established litter and marine protection patrols and promoted the use of renewable sources of energy.
He added that, during his watch, Gibraltar had been represented in numerous international forums on the environment and climate change.
Finally, he said that Commonwealth Park, which has been nominated for a design award, had “transformed the lives of many in Gibraltar.”
FUTURE PLANS
The GSLP-Libs commit to increase the use of renewable energy to hit the target of obtaining 20% of all energy from renewable sources by 2020. A related proposal is to allow for those who produce their own renewable energy to feed it into the network.
The party also plans to expand recycling initiatives and complete solid waste and sewage treatment plants.
A new park between the MidTown Development and the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre is also planned together with a total renewal of the electricity distribution network.
In order to ensure that Gibraltar can rely on a backup electricity source, the party says that it would continue to explore the possibility mentioned by the Chief Minister in Parliament in 2012 to link up to Morocco’s renewable energy grid. Dr Cortes explained that he expected the cost of this project to be met by third parties.
GSLP Leader Fabian Picardo, when asked about the apparent similarities between these policies and those recently presented by the GSD, said: “If you want to look at where the original ideas are, all you have to do is go back to our last election manifesto and previous manifestos to see where people have learnt these things from.”
“If the GSD come up with one original idea which is in the best interests of the people of Gibraltar I will be the first to acknowledge it,” he added.
Pic: Dr Joseph Garcia, Fabian Picardo and Dr John Cortes
{fcomment}
