Protest against Barcelona airport expansion called for September 19

Ecologists and social groups have called for protests against the expansion of Barcelona airport. 

The demonstration will take place on Carrer Tarragona, between Plaça dels Països Catalans and Plaça Espanya, on September 19 at 12.00. Various other protest groups from nearby towns and cities will join the demonstration in the Catalan capital at noon. 

At a press conference in Barcelona on Tuesday, the platform Zeroport, joined by representatives from the tenants’ union, an El Prat neighbours’ association, and the Climate Justice Network, outlined their reasons for calling the protest.

They criticized the “opacity” and “arbitrariness” of the agreement between the Catalan and Spanish governments to expand the airport, denouncing it as “unsustainable” and saying there was “no justification” for the proposal.

They also pointed out that Spain’s airport authority, AENA, is listed on the stock exchange and therefore is motivated by the pursuit of profit rather than the wellbeing of society and residents. 

Their ultimate goal is to convince authorities not to go ahead with the expansion before the deadline of September 30, the latest date for the Spanish government to formally approve the works if it is to go ahead. 

Ada Colau, the mayor of Barcelona, has been a vocal critic of the plans, and recently repeated her criticism of the proposal as well as the position of the Catalan government on the matter. 

Full details of the protests can be found at ampliacionsno.cat.

Controversy has been going on over these plans since the beginning of summer, and Catalan News published a podcast on the matter. Have a listen below:

Reasons against the expansion

Reasons to protest against the project are multifold for the platform comprised of different entities focused on distinct areas. 

Environmentally, they say that CO2 emissions would rise by a minimum of 33% if the capacity of Barcelona airport is increased as planned. Such levels would surpass the limits set by the Catalan government’s climate targets.

Current plans would also see an area of precious wetlands surrounding the facility destroyed, especially the La Ricarda lagoon that forms part of the Llobregat Delta. 

Socially, the groups argue that since the last expansion of Barcelona update in 2009, rent prices have skyrocketed as the heightened levels of tourism, going hand-in-hand with the rise of Airbnb, has caused a jump in prices. 

In terms of the economic impact, they believe that the jobs provided by the project would be temporary and low-quality. 

Those against the expansion also explained that the protest is not only for residents of Barcelona but indeed all parts of Catalonia, adding that simultaneous demonstrations will also be held in Madrid and Mallorca against any airport expansion for similar reasons.

Government considers joining protest

Members of the Catalan government are considering taking part in the protest against the expansion of Barcelona airport. 

Spokesperson for the administration Patricia Plaja said that the executive has not yet decided whether or not it will go, before adding that it “would not be surprising” if some ministers attended. 

Plaja underlined the government’s commitment to the natural space of La Ricarda, calling it a “red line.” She also explained that the government would not back any proposals from AENA that would ”destroy” the area. 

This position has been met with criticism from other political parties, who view the government’s stance as “contradictory”. 

CUP MP Laia Estrada pointed out that the protest was not merely to amend the proposal and save La Ricarda, but to put a halt to the project entirely.

Estrada went on to call the expansion plans a “climate attack,” not only for the damage it would do to the protected La Ricarda area but also because of the increase in emissions it would cause. 

She also denounced the economic model of mass tourism that provides only “precarious jobs.”