THE UN AWARDS TORROELLA DE MONTGRÍ AND L'ESTARTIT FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

The Torroella de Montgrí City Council has received recognition from the prestigious global Sustainable Cities And Human Settlements Awards , which are convened by the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS), an organization linked to the UN. Specifically, it has won the award in the Global Low-Carbon Ecological Scenic Spot category and has been selected, among other reasons, for having established a good model of sustainable and resilient development, and for the integration of ecotourism in its planning.

The awards were presented during the 14th Global Forum on Human Settlements, which took place on 5 and 6 September in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). The Mayor of Torroella de Montgrí, Jordi Colomí, the councillor for the Tourist Destination, Dúnia Oliveras and the municipal tourism advisor, Josep Capellà, were responsible for collecting the award. The evaluation committee also highlighted the innovative nature of Life Pletera and its commitment to enhancing the value of the territory, not only to improve the quality of life of the population, but also for its capacity to boost tourism. In addition, it highly valued the demonstrative nature and the fact that it has been a multidisciplinary example of good practices to mitigate and adapt coastal areas to the effects of climate change. The Mayor of Torroella de Montgrí stated that “This new international recognition encourages us to continue to strongly commit to this change in the model of territorial development and tourism promotion, and recognizes the efforts of the municipality over the past decades.” The Mayor participated in a round table where he presented the case of Torroella de Montgrí and l’Estartit, as an experience of sustainable regeneration of a coastal destination on the Costa Brava. According to Colomí, “This regeneration has been possible thanks to good urban planning, a determined commitment to the protection and enhancement of the territory, investments in specific actions in which the commitment to sustainability has been the key factor and a promotion of the quality and excellence of the destination.”

A new award for the commitment to sustainability

The award that was given this September to the Torroella de Montgrí City Council is in addition to the one granted last March, where Torroella de Montgrí – L’Estartit – Illes Medes was chosen as one of the 10 most sustainable destinations in the world by the international organization Green Destinations. 2019 is the third year in which the Torroella de Montgrí – L’Estartit – Illes Medes destination has obtained recognition in the Green Destinations awards. In 2018 it achieved second prize in the Earth category (Environment and Climate) and in 2017 it was a finalist among the 100 most sustainable destinations. In addition to these awards, the granting of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (CETS) to the Montgrí, Illes Medes and Baix Ter Natural Park and the accreditation of 28 companies linked to tourist activities within the scope of the natural park. This certification is awarded by the EUROPARC Foundation, which shows the voluntary commitment of natural areas and tourist companies to environmental sustainability and sustainable tourism. The municipality is also part of NECSTouR, the network of European regions for sustainable and competitive tourism, made up of 28 regional tourism authorities and associated with representatives from the academic and industrial sectors. On the other hand, in 2006 the City Council launched the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards and a voluntary European environmental management system, EMAS, aimed at improving resource efficiency, reducing risks and setting an example with the declaration of good practices. In 2010, the Q certification for tourism quality was also achieved, for the management of beaches and the promenade, which is renewed annually. The Chair of Mediterranean Coastal Ecosystems, based in the municipality, is another example of the municipal will to support the study, restoration, management and dissemination of the natural spaces of the Baix Ter coast.

Sustainability, a cross-cutting element in municipal management

The commitment to sustainability has been integrated as a cross-cutting element in local management, given the uniqueness and high environmental value of the municipality, where a great diversity of spaces and habitats converge, starring the Montgrí massif, the Medes Islands, the Baix Ter wetlands and the fertile agricultural plain. Currently, 67% of the municipal area is protected as part of the Natural Park and only 10% is urban land. This high environmental quality is clearly reflected in the coastal strip of the municipality. Of the 15.1 km in length, only 30% is urbanized and most of the 5.4 km of beaches suitable for swimming are natural.
Apart from the obvious protection of natural spaces, for many years now, policies have been implemented aimed at adequately combining the municipality’s tourist activity with the preservation of the environment, in perfect harmony with economic development. Thus, there is a clear commitment to sustainability in all its areas: environmentally friendly tourist development, mobility, energy saving, optimization of public forest management, waste management, space recovery, etc.