"Beach death" on Mallorca There will be fewer sun loungers on Ballermann in future
The Ballermann beach is becoming increasingly crowded, and not just because of the rising number of visitors. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Experts are calling for the renaturation of coastal regions to stop the loss of beaches. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
The building frenzy on the coast is also a problem in Platja d'Aro in Catalonia. (archive image)
Image: dpa
The Ballermann beach is becoming increasingly crowded, and not just because of the rising number of visitors. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Experts are calling for the renaturation of coastal regions to stop the loss of beaches. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
The building frenzy on the coast is also a problem in Platja d'Aro in Catalonia. (archive image)
Image: dpa
The beaches on Mallorca are getting smaller and smaller. The town hall in Palma is reacting and announcing measures. Other Spanish regions are also struggling with the problem.
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- The beaches on Mallorca are getting smaller and smaller.
- The municipality of Palma will be providing fewer sun loungers at Ballermann in future.
- Other Spanish regions are also struggling with the problem.
Due to the phenomenon of "beach death", there will be fewer sun loungers and parasols for rent on Mallorca in future. The municipality of Palma, which also includes the seaside resort of S'Arenal with the so-called Ballermann, is planning a corresponding reduction on the five beaches in its area from next summer. In the affected areas, heavily built-up coasts and climate change are also being pilloried.
Tourists and locals complain about "overcrowding" on the beaches
The decline in sandy areas has led to overcrowding, which has been criticized by tourists and locals, councillor Mercedes Celeste was quoted as saying by the regional newspaper "Diario de Mallorca" and the Spanish radio station "Cadena Ser".
The current licenses for landlords were drawn up decades ago, at a time when the beaches in Palma were bigger, stressed the politician responsible for internal affairs and finance in Palma, who is also a spokesperson for the town hall. "We have a completely different coastline today than 10, 20 or 30 years ago," she said. There is simply "less sand than there used to be".
According to Celeste, the town hall is already working on new tenders "based on the current coastline". In collaboration with other authorities and institutions, not only will the problem of overcrowding be solved, but others will also be addressed. Among other things, they want to build better beach accesses.
Building mania and climate change pilloried
Palma is not the only city struggling with the problem of dwindling beaches. The phenomenon of "beach death" can also be observed elsewhere. Experts believe that one cause is that coasts have been built right up to the beach. Protective dunes often no longer exist. On a shoreline that has remained natural, the beach would simply move slowly inland - which is not possible if it has been built on right up to the sea.
"Beaches that have remained natural can easily adapt to climate change, as they are able to retreat and rise as the sea level rises," says Francesca Ribas from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona. However, if the beach cannot move because of all the concrete, it will disappear.
The fact that dunes have been converted into promenades is a major problem, explains the expert in coastal dynamics. The adaptability of the beaches is restricted and the risk of flooding during storms is significantly increased. Dams on rivers near the coast and the construction of marinas and other infrastructure near the coasts also promote erosion.
Gloomy forecast
Beaches are also disappearing in other coastal areas such as California and Florida, Turkey, Brazil and the Gold Coast in Australia. One factor here is climate change. Under conditions characterized by climate change and rising sea levels, "half of the world's sandy beaches could have disappeared by the end of the century", according to a study published in the journal "Nature Climate Change".
The city of Barcelona estimates that 30,000 cubic meters of sand are washed away every year. That is over ten percent of the total stock. Ribas is well informed due to her work, but as a beachgoer she also experiences unpleasant surprises: "I was totally surprised just a few years ago when I noticed a huge regression on some beaches in the Llobregat Delta south of Barcelona, which until then had had no problems with erosion."
Unpopular measures are necessary
Ribas sees only one real way out: "We have to give back to the sea what we have stolen from it." The magic word is renaturation. "We need to restore the original dune systems and, if necessary, dismantle beach promenades and rebuild them further back, even if these measures may be unpopular," she demands.
dpa
