Salerno– "Vir o mar quant'è belli" (How beautiful the sea is). With this banner, displayed today in the picturesque Ogliastro Marina Bay, Goletta Verde volunteers launched a campaign to draw attention to the multiple threats looming over Campania's fragile coastal ecosystem.
Legambiente's historic campaign, now in its Campania stage, has called on organizations and authorities to "greater protection and safeguard" of the sea and coasts.
A sea under attack: wastewater, high-impact construction, and unauthorized management
Francesca Ferro, director of Legambiente Campania, underlined the criticality of the situation: “The sea represents one of the most precious assets for our territory, but it is threatened by illegal dumping, poor purification and development projects with solutions that look to the past.”
Legambiente is calling for a "detailed strategy for protecting and enhancing the coast with a sustainable approach that embraces the opportunities offered by the blue economy."
The threats highlighted by the association are multiple:
Uncontrolled presence of boats: A factor of disturbance and potential pollution for marine areas.
Poor or absent water purification: Significant and widespread untreated wastewater reaches the sea through river and canal mouths. This not only contaminates the water with bacteria, but also promotes algal blooms, resulting in the development of scum, slime, and abnormal discoloration.
Legambiente highlights how the illegal dumping of livestock waste, as demonstrated by recent operations by the Guardia di Finanza and the Salerno Public Prosecutor's Office, is a serious problem that could instead become an opportunity for energy production and soil improvers.
Highly impactful infrastructure projects: Projects that "stiffen the coastline, deteriorate the fragile dune systems, and interfere with water dynamics" represent a further attack on the ecosystem. A case in point is the so-called Salerno Sud Masterplan, a "Major Coastal Defense and Replenishment Project" which, with the construction of marinas and massive submerged reefs, involves the artificialization of the coastal strip from Pontecagnano to Castellabate, in violation of the principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).
Failure to comply with procedures in protected areas: Legambiente activists are working to file a complaint with the judicial authorities regarding the use of mechanical equipment in protected areas, such as the integral Zone A of the Roccamonfina-Foce Garigliano Regional Park. The use of bulldozers and tractors to "level" dunes in the protected area of Baia Domizia (Sessa Aurunca) is a clear "attack on coastal biodiversity."
Legambiente reiterates the need for a change of pace in the management of Campania's coastal heritage, calling on institutions to adopt a more forward-looking and sustainable approach.
Verified Source
Comments (1)
The article presents a worrying situation for our seas and coasts. It is important that authorities take serious measures to address the problems described, such as illegal dumping and mismanagement of resources. Protecting the ecosystem is essential.