The report compares the evolution from 1990 to 2020 of 98 socio-environmental indicators for Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Menorca and Ibiza, in relation to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
Ibiza, 31-08-2022 – “Comparing shared indicators allows us to better understand our strengths and weaknesses as a society and the impact we have on our environment.” This is how Itziar Arratibel, Technical Coordinator of IbizaPreservation Sustainability Observatory, began the presentation of the 4 Islands Report, a comparative study of sustainability indicators for Ibiza, Menorca, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, which analyses data between 1990 and 2020.
This is the second year running the Observatory has participated in this project, the purpose of which is to make a dynamic comparison between these four islands through 98 indicators divided into 7 blocks (population, economy and employment, society, territory and biodiversity, transport and mobility, tourism and environmental vectors). The collection of most of the information in this second report began 30 years ago and continued up to 2020, this last year’s trends having been heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report shows, among other things, the great dependence of all islands on maritime trade, particularly for Ibiza. In 2020, in the middle of an economic recession, 2,217,306 tonnes of goods entered the island, 73% more than the island of Lanzarote, 134% more than Fuerteventura and double the amount that entered Menorca. These numbers highlight the fact that Ibiza is a territory that lacks self-sufficiency in terms of food as well as in terms of other supplies necessary for day-to-day life, both for individuals and companies.
The penetration of renewable energy is another indicator that stands out. The data shows that in the case of Ibiza the output in this area is almost nil, while Menorca has a capacity of 8,300 kilowatts of power, Lanzarote 43,496 kilowatts and the island of Fuerteventura 44,807 kw.
Among the more positive findings, selective waste collection capacity of Ibiza and Menorca stands out in comparison to the data for the two Canary Islands. In 2020, the total proportion of urban waste selectively collected in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote amounted to only 8 and 9% respectively, while in Ibiza, this percentage was 15.3% and in Menorca 19. 7%.
The presentation of the report took the form of a round table with journalists from different media outlets in Ibiza, creating a space for dialogue where the difficulties faced by media in terms of collecting and generating information related to sustainability and the environment was open to discussion. There was also a debate on the state of sustainability of the island. IbizaPreservation’s Director, Inma Saranova, emphasised that, “The involvement of media and journalists in accurately disseminating information on environmental problems is essential in order for citizens to gain the awareness to tackle the challenges that society as a whole has to face in the current climate emergency. We therefore very much appreciate the involvement of the island’s media in today’s working session.”
The indicators included in the latest 4 Islands Report are the result of a collaboration between IbizaPreservation, the Menorca Socio-Environmental Observatory (OBSAM), the Lanzarote Cabildo Data Centre and the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve Office. These organisations worked together to define the system of indicators, and in the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data. In addition, the initiative has been supported by the Biosphere Reserve Offices of Menorca and Lanzarote, as well as the Menorcan Institute of Studies. IbizaPreservation indicated that the four organisations responsible for the project are already preparing the next 4 Islands Report, which collects data from 2021 and will be presented at the end of this year. This third report will be sponsored by the Consell of Ibiza, more specifically, by the Department of Territory, which in 2022 has also financed the bulk of the Sustainability Observatory’s work to create environmental and territorial indicators that will be presented in due course in the Ibiza 2021 Sustainability Report.
