BEST PRACTICES IN CALVIA, SPAIN

BYSITI SALBIAH BINTI ISMAIL

A139136MAYA SAFITRI SURATMAN

A137404NUR IMANI YUSOFF CHEAH

A135792

BACKGROUND

1) Calvià is a municipality on the western side of the island of Majorca with a coastline of 54 km of which two thirds has been built upon.

2) In peak season, the population more than trebles with 170,000 visitors, attracted chiefly by the sun and the beaches.

3) There are a further sixteen coastal settlements each with more than 1000 inhabitants. Nevertheless, Calvià also has rich and scenic natural protected areas covering 69% of the municipality.

ENERGYThe experiences of several municipalities that are forerunners of a new energy model based on renewable energy and energy efficiency were showcased.

The island of El Hierro and its hydro-wind power plant, the 100% renewable Barcelona municipality of Rubi or Calvia, in Mallorca, show that it is possible.

the city of Calvia has already installed photovoltaic panels on many of its public buildings and

promotes energy efficiency criteria through tax incentives

ENERGY

GEOGRAPHY

1) Calvià is to be found on the occidental side of the island of Mallorca, next to the Sierra de Tramontana.

2) The land that is good for building properties on is very limited. geographically speaking, as it is a peninsular with various humid zones both to the east and to the west (salty earth of Magalluf, of Palmanova and that of Santa Ponsa) which in a way is the cause of the narrowing similar to an isthmus which closes to the north.

ECONOMY

Tourism

1) one and a half million of visitors each year

2) more than 120.000 beds, 44.000 in the number of hotels, 16.000 in apartments and 60.000  touristic resident

3) 853 taverns and restaurants as well as 1.145 businesses

4) second place amongst the municipalities with the most Blue Flags of the state

5) The beach of Palmanova holds a majority in services, for which it was given the award of quality Q, being the only one in all the Balearic Islands to have such an honour.

TRANSPORT1) The motorway Ma-1 or  Autovía de Poniente (Autovia de

Ponent in Catalan) is the most important route of communication that unites the different urban areas with Palma de Mallorca and Andratx.

2) This main motorway runs through the municipality and divides it into two very different zones. The northern part is rural and agricultural and the southern part touristic and urban. The distance by road from the town of Calvià to the center of Palma is about 20 km.

3) The only bus station of the municipality can be found in Palma Nova; it is popularly known as the 'intercambiador'. The afore-mentioned building, as well as, being a bus stop it  is also used for a variety of municipal offices.

ENVIRONMENT

1) “Calvià for Excellence” Programme Improve the environment. Reorganize the flow of visitors. Reclaim the coastal area and clear out the huddled town center. demolishing hotels that were offensive to the environment.

2) Calvià: Local Agenda 21 to slow down the tendencies, uses and procedures that have a negative bearing on the coastline

conduct programmes for the restoration of the coastline promote awareness, harmonise key public and private activities

LOCAL AGENDA 21

1) Calvià has been using Local Agenda 21 in this way for  more than ten years.

2) Specific examples that have been conducted as a result of the development plan: that the system of sand retention has been changed. Now, in winter-time, seaweed is no longer collected from the beaches which presence acts to protect the beaches from erosion during storms.

12.75 ha. of wetland are being restored and integrated into surrounding areas to help protect endemic Limonium spp. 

Calvià re-cycles 60% of its wastewater to gardens, agriculture and golf-courses. There is a full monitoring programme for the 34 beaches; the eleven urban beaches are checked weekly, the rest once every two weeks.

Implementation of an environmental manager system and an eco-label for hotels and apartments to raise their standards.

based on the efforts being made by hoteliers towards implementation of sustainable policies by reducing environmental impacts and actively participating in the community.

Another initiative involves giving financial help for equipment to businesses which take part in the twice annual beach clean-up in which 500kg of tourist waste is regularly collected before, and after, the tourist season.

3) Climate Change Calvià is already promoting several initiatives to face climate change by reducing CO2 emissions.

For example: solar energy is used for street lighting reducing emissions from this source by 15%. The ambition is to raise this to 60%.

There are plans to produce 300,000 Kw/h electricity a year through public installation of solar energy.

There is also an initiative in which four schools involving 400 children and 30 staff are participating in an environmental action plan improvement scheme for their schools.

EFFECTIVENESS OF LA21

Calvià has turned around its mass tourism image from one of environmental degradation to one of environmental sustainability in under fifteen years.

European Prize for Sustainable Cities awarded by the EC

‘’Best Practice’ in localising agenda 21 in 1998.

Green Globe Award from the World Travel and Tourist Council.

World Summit Business Award for Sustainable Development Partnership from the UN for the reduction and re-cycling of waste.

Eight of its beaches have received a ‘Blue Flag”. It won the QualityCoast Award in 2007 and 2009.