In general terms, “green” parties focus their policies on environmental concerns, which seems somewhat contradictory to what the Los Verdes in Torrevieja are proposing, with the creation of a network of car parks, where polluting vehicles can all gather together.
There are countless studies that reveal how car parks damage the environment and exacerbate global warming. One such report showed how parking spaces increase sulphur dioxide and soot, resulting in 0.5% to 12% of total estimated lifecycle energy consumption and greenhouse emissions, and 24% to 81% of other air pollutants, depending on vehicle type and scenario. They also reduce green areas in towns and cities, and cause erosion and water pollution.
It should perhaps also be noted that the Los Verdes in Torrevieja actively support the destruction of insects, namely mosquitoes, which, although an annoyance to the humans in the area, provide food to wildlife and are part of the sensitive eco system, which again points to the Los Verdes being somewhat distant from the green, environmental policies of their namesakes.
According to their spokesperson, and candidate for mayor, Israel Muñoz, the plan for building car parks is part of their “Torrevieja 2030” project and is intended to promote sustainable mobility in the municipality.
“We are fully aware of the increasingly pressing parking and accessibility problems in our city, which are also aggravated during the holiday season, with the arrival of mass tourism. For this reason, one of our main bets in this sense is the improvement of accesses”, declared Muñoz.
In addition, alluding more towards a “green” policy, he has stressed the importance of “raising awareness of the importance of using public transport, especially in these times in which sustainability and the fight against the climate crisis have become an unavoidable priority”. From Los Verdes we demand the creation of a metropolitan transport network in Vega Baja that improves access and communication with other municipalities at once.
Likewise, and with the aim of decongesting the city, we want to promote the creation of a network of public, dissuasive and free car parks that promote sustainable mobility for all citizens and a sustainable and integrated tourism model.
On the other hand, we cannot continue turning our backs on the fact that, unfortunately, in our city, it is not a secret that people with reduced mobility have serious problems getting around, due to the poor condition and unevenness of the pavements, something that we want change and solve, urgently and with the aim that all people, regardless of their abilities, feel fully integrated in this municipality.
“We believe that these aspects are non-negotiable to begin building the city model we want, inclusive, fair, respectful of the environment and totally opposite to what we know up to now: a completely obsolete city model designed for a minority”, settled Muñoz.
