04.2025 Support for the Albufera

A heart for a green region

In many of our podcasts and scientific reports, we compare the devastating floods on the Ahr River in 2021 with the events in the Valencia region last year. Today, we would like to focus on a special aspect of nature conservation and ask for your support with just a few clicks. It’s about water, the elixir of life, and the special significance of the Albufera freshwater lake in the Valencia region.

The Albufera was named Lake of the Year 2020. The title has been awarded annually on February 2 since 2004. On World Wetlands Day, the Global Nature Fund awards this title to one of the world’s most important endangered lakes for a year to draw attention to the ecological problems facing these wetlands.

The situation in the Albufera has changed as a result of flooding, as more rainfall is feeding the wetland. However, the situation has not necessarily improved, even though more fresh water can be diverted to the surrounding agricultural areas, which can produce up to three harvests per year.

Application for recognition as a biosphere reserve

The mayors of the neighboring municipalities of Cullera, Cataroja, Sueca, Algemesi Alfafar, Silla, Albal, Sedavi, Massnassa, Sollana, Albalat de Ribera, Beniparrell, and Valencia have applied to UNESCO for the Albufera to be recognized as a biosphere reserve. In this video, you can hear their reasons, which are not aimed at controversy but at the joint development of the region. Against the backdrop of the political dispute between the autonomously governed region of Valencia and the central government, it is particularly frustrating for local actors when progress is blocked by power politics. The alliance for the biosphere reserve application is therefore above all one thing: an alliance of the political center and common sense.

In the latest podcast, we discuss the differences between the various protected areas and attempt to compare the Albufera with the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Middle Rhine Valley and the FFH protected area of the Ahr Valley. Direct comparisons help to understand why protected areas that fail at the national level can be successful at the international level. The idea that international visibility can lead to local protection is not just an idea, but has proven to be a functioning mechanism. However, every applicant must be aware that review committees will decide on the applications and examine them closely. In addition, applicants must submit a concept that ensures sustainable management of the area in harmony with nature and economic use.

The region has a lot of experience in this area, as the use of the Albufera and its fresh water has been regulated by contract since the 17th century. The usage contracts have only been revised at long intervals and are considered historical. This is also something special and must be continued. The mayors insist on this.

Thinking Circular® is listed as a helpdesk by the United Nations, and we want to fulfill this role—let’s help the Albufera! Sign the petition for the Albufera, which was published in the regional newspaper “Las Provincias.” Under Spanish law, an ID document must be presented for online petitions; no fakes should be created, so don’t let that deter you.