Less than a month ago david mascort has replaced Teresa Jordà in charge of the Climate Action Department, Food and Rural Agenda of the Generalitat. In its First interview after the appointment, the new ‘counselor’ He talks to EL PERIÓDICO about issues as thorny as the impact of the drought, the controversies surrounding new renewable energy projects and the protection of the Llobregat delta.
You have been working as number two of this ‘department’ for many years and a month ago you assumed its leadership. How have you experienced the change?
It hasn’t been a big change for me. in the last seven years I have worked as general secretary of this Department and my job, said colloquially, was ‘to have the machine ready’. Two years ago we experienced an important change when we assumed the powers on climate action issues such as water and waste management. Now I feel that the only big added challenge is the public projection.
One of the issues that worries the most right now is the drought. What balance do you make of the situation?
At the moment we see the drought as temporary, but all the forecasts point to the fact that in the coming decades it will be a structural problem. Catalonia has to prepare to face the droughts that will come. To do this, we are going to invest 2,400 million from now until 2027 in concrete measures to optimize water management. The goal is that by 2030, when it is estimated that rainfall will fall 15% compared to now, we can do the same as now but consuming less water.
“The goal is that by 2030 we can do the same as now but consuming less water”
In 2008, 13 years ago, Catalonia experienced another extreme drought and already then the need to improve water management was demonstrated. Do you think the homework was done?
Yes. And the proof is that if it weren’t for the current drought plan we would have already entered into an exceptional situation. This drought has been as extreme as that of 2008 and even so we have not had to apply the same restrictions as then. In 2021, the Government approved a special plan against drought and this is what has allowed the declaration of the state of emergency to be extended between six and eight months. For months we have accelerated the work of the desalination plants, that we have notified farmers, industries and cities so that they prepare to reduce their water consumption.
The plan to deal with future droughts requires large investments. The water management companies argue that this will end up increasing the price of water. Do you think we will end up paying more?
It is not easy to answer this question. It is clear that we will need a large investment to execute this plan and the money has to come from somewhere. Does this mean we will pay more for water? Maybe not directly, but indirectly yes. The price of water will go up; If citizens do not pay for it on their receipts, either with the canon or with the rate applied by their town hall, they will surely do so with taxes. It’s common sense.
His ‘conselleria’ has spent months denouncing the management of water resources in the territories that depend on the Ebro Hydrographic Basin and the Ministry. Do you think they should have more powers?
Yes. As an independentist, I defend that all the powers that affect my country should be here. This is a flagrant case of how things don’t have to be. In Urgell they closed the faucet from one day to the next for the farmers. In Muga, crops have only received 10% of the expected water. In the Baix Ter the water supply has been reduced by 40%. You cannot deal with something as serious as a drought by improvising from day to day. That is why we ask to be able to influence water management in the Ebro basin and, especially, in the Segre basin.
CHE’s management in the Ebro basin is a flagrant case of how they don’t have to do things
Much has been said about the deployment of new renewable energy projects in Catalonia. There are those who argue that they should be installed in natural spaces and those who defend that they should remain in anthropized areas.
The installation of renewables in Catalonia has to be done with a scalpel because here, unlike other territories, we have a high population density, activities and protected areas. We have already drawn the path. In 2021, with the modification of the renewable energy decree, we established some very clear rules of the game. For example, it was made clear that renewables cannot be installed in protected natural spaces.
“The installation of renewables in Catalonia has to be done with a scalpel”
So where should one start installing these projects?
The plan establishes that it is necessary to start with anthropized areas, as is evident. This includes the roofs of buildings and spaces close to urban centers. It will also have to be installed in open areas such as fields. In the most productive? No. There is a specific regulation on this. And in any extension? Neither. In irrigated areas they may only occupy 5% of the extension and in rainfed areas 10%.
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There are those who consider that it is taking a long time to respond to these projects.
It is true that setting up a park requires a lot of paperwork. When we got to the ‘conselleria’ we found a cap of projects on the table. We have hired 75 people to be able to unblock this situation and right now applications, if complete, are processed in 15 days or less. The administration cannot be a stumbling block for these projects. Our job is to ensure that they are safe for both citizens and biodiversity.