Conserving the environment in Tenerife

So many contradictory forces are at work on the sun drenched island of Tenerife. The south especially can justifiably claim to be one of the healthiest places in the world to live because the air is so dry and, even in January and February, never gets cold. The question is, will it always remain so?

The traffic in the north east around the capital Santa Cruz can be horrendous while the TF1 motorway linking the capital with the south is not for the nervous driver. Accident rates make the point. Tourist hire cars add to the problem but the main cause is the islanders love of the motor car, and not all of them have the cleanest engines. Even with recent price hikes it still costs only 82 cents for a litre of petrol. Perhaps the planned train link between Santa Cruz and the south will get some cars off the road but Tenerife faces the same problems as almost every country in the world.

The biggest controversy at the moment surrounds the proposed “megaport” at Granadilla in the south. Opinion seems to be split between the environmentalists who oppose it and those who see it as essential to progress and growth of the economy. Not the least of the arguments surrounds future energy needs and for giant tankers to import LNG (liquefied natural gas). It is the cleanest of fossil fuels but what about supply and security? There has been a fierce political fight, with upheaval in the town hall, and local councillors changing sides on this issue. The latest is that it has got the go-ahead for the second time but seems destined for a protracted legal battle.

Another apparent contradiction is the award of World Heritage Status to the Teide National Park, despite the area receiving too many tourists. To be fair the site is now being controlled better by the authorities and obviously UNESCO took this into account in making the award. Walking in Tenerife's wild places is exhilarating, so let's hope we can continue to enjoy it.

Finally, what about solar energy? Doesn't Tenerife have 1600 hours of sunshine every year? At present only 3% of energy is supplied this way. What about some private enterprise and investment, not to mention some general education of the benefits? Too many environmentalists are fond of lecturing but are not so keen on following through.