This week and last, one hundred local primary school pupils participated "Diving with Posi", an initiative organised by the Vellmarí Association with the collaboration of the Formentera Offices of Education and Environment.

This activity includes an undersea workshop and a diving experience in the sea with goggles and fins. "The goal is to inspire children and young people and teach them the value of posidonia meadows and biodiversity in the Mediterranean", explained Cristina Ozores, director of marine education for the Vellmarí Association and educator with National Geographic.

For her part, Susana Labrador, Councillor of Education, praised the organisers' initiative "because now, in a totally practical way, participants discover the importance of taking care of our sea". In that connection, Antoni Tur, Councillor of Environment, said, "We must foster environmental awareness from an early age, so that the baseline is an eagerness to work towards a more sustainable world".

Pupils at CEIP El Pilar and CEIP Sant Ferran de ses Roques took part in the activity last week. Pupils from CEIP Mestre Lluís Andreu will get their turn to take the plunge Thursday and Friday (9-10 June). Participants receive instructions at a theory-driven workshop before going into the water, then, in groups and with diving instructors, biologists and environmental educators, they visit an area with shallow posidonia meadows where they can observe the seagrass and examples of biodiversity like pomfrets, the Mediterranean rainbow wrasse, amphibians and starfish up close.

The Vellmarí Association published a book entitled Bussejant amb na Posi which has been distributed in schools in years past. This year it will be made available in a digital format. Participating schoolchildren will also receive a souvenir poster.

7 June 2022
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Environment is working to fulfil its commitments under the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (CMCE) of November 2019. The Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan [PAESC] is being prepared at present and, prior to its approval, the Consell invites islanders and local groups to participate by sharing their ideas in this survey.

The CMCE is a tool designed to enable European municipalities to fulfil energy objectives which are set by Europe. Signatory municipalities undertake to: reduce CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030; increase energy efficiency by 27%; increase use of renewable energy sources by 27%; develop a Baseline Emissions Inventory (BEI); conduct a climate change risk and vulnerability assessment.

Efforts on Formentera

Various departments of the Consell are enacting measures to achieve the objectives. Efforts are afoot to revise electricity supply meters, readjust and tailor contracted power to real consumption, monitor solar energy installations and analyse fuel expenses.

Among the assorted initiatives underway are projects to install photovoltaic canopies in public parking lots and new photovoltaic generation systems in municipal facilities; replace conventional luminaires with LED luminaires in holiday lighting; swap in more efficient and alternative fuel-powered vehicles; adapt roads. Other projects involve cycling signage; tax rebates on building permits for energy efficiency improvements, and a network of electric vehicle charging points.

Formentera is also part of VPP4Island, a pioneering European project to facilitate integration of renewable systems and accelerate the transition to smart and green energy.

3 June 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

This week, the Formentera Office of Environment, Balearic Ministry of Environment and Civil Guard will embark on a security and surveillance campaign to control irregular boating activities at Estany des Peix.

At a meeting today, the heads of the two administrations and law enforcement opted to initiate the push at Ses Salines Nature Reserve. Per regulations at Ses Salines, and according to mooring rules and the legal rubric governing mooring facilities at Estany des Peix in force since February, commercial activity and boat rentals are prohibited at the lake.

Legislation intended to preserve key environmental spaces (Law 5/2005 of 26 May 2005) creates fines of €100 to €6,000 for minor violations, fines of €6,001 to €100,000 for serious violations, and fines of €100,001 to €450,000 for very serious violations.

1 June 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

On Sunday 5 June, the Consell de Formentera will team up with Formentera Jazz Festival, Qué Celeste and Plastic-Free Formentera to host a cleanup of the Es Pujols beach on the occasion of World Environment Day. The cleanup starts at 5.00pm and the Formentera Office of Environment will bring gloves, gear and rubbish bags for volunteers.

1 June 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera