The change by Biodiversity and natural heritage law of La Rioja It represents the repeal of the most significant regulatory developments relating to the protection and promotion of biodiversity over the past twenty years.
- To start with the argument for change by Biodiversity and natural heritage law of La Rioja is not correct, as it concerns the deletion of those parts that ban glyphosate, but in addition dozens of articles and other parts are withdrawn that have nothing to do with this harmful product. This appears to be nothing more than a smokescreen from the Popular Party government to hide the true reasons for this change which go back years and go against the environmental protection policies of Spain and the European Union.
- Title I, on the transversal integration of biodiversity into public policy, is deleted. 35 articles in which care for biodiversity was guaranteed in matters such as the construction of renewable parks, infrastructure, land concentrations, mining activities, the protection of riverbanks and wetlands or in local policies (they disappear Green Infrastructure Plans for municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants).
- Articles like these can be found in the laws for the protection of the natural environment of Galicia or Castilla y León, promoted by the Popular Party that governs them.
- Deprotects 239 species present in The Rioja take them out Rioja list of wild species under special protection regime. Even though the vast majority of them are already protected by national and European legislation. It is the biggest attack on the environment and a major step backwards in environmental policy in decades. The removal of these species from the list and catalog is not supported by any scientific report or regulation.
- Eliminates the public benefit declaration for actions to eliminate invasive exotic species, which endanger ecosystems and cause economic losses.
- Eliminates the ban on public authorities using glyphosate, a carcinogenic and toxic product to health, which the EU has extended by putting the interests of economic pressure lobbies above the public interest and the health of all.
Species eliminated in the amendment of the Law on Biodiversity and Natural Heritage of La Rioja:
- 195 bird species (from 219 protected species to 24). Some such as the bearded vulture – threatened with extinction -, the bustard, the golden eagle, the owls, the crane, the griffon vulture, etc. are removed from the register.
- 19 species of mammals (from 47 to 28). They remove various species of bats, the otter or species that cannot be removed because they are on the National List, such as the wolf or the beaver.
- 18 reptiles (from 21 protected species to 3). They strip the protection of lizards, lizards, turtles and snakes.
- 7 amphibians (from 9 protected species to 2). They protect several species of salamanders and toads.
- 3 types of plants.
- 2 snails.
- 3 protected beetles have been eliminated across Europe.
- 1 mariposa.
- 1 dragonfly.
