Anyone who cites environmental protection so often must not give in to the first million. The governments of Tenerife and the Canary Islands are making fools of themselves with the new Mount Teide law.
It is called the „Master Plan for the Use and Management of Mount Teide National Park“, or PRUG for short. But behind a „master plan“ there is usually a „mastermind“ too. Yet there is little sign of one. For what was supposed to protect Mount Teide is now selling it off. Instead, it is the walkers and visitors who are being penalised.
The new law permits large-scale film productions whilst banning walking sticks. This is justified on the basis of a study. Whilst the way people walk on the island – even when accompanied by hiking guides employed by the island authorities – is to be changed, a blind eye is turned to film shoots costing millions. In this way, the authorities are undermining their own policy and undermining their own credibility.
New law on Mount Teide undermines environmental protection
Amidst much fanfare, the anti-mass tourism protests failed to deliver any of the demands made by the demonstrators. Instead, individual island governments introduced small entrance fees at tourist attractions.
Access to Mount Teide has also been restricted and entrance fees introduced. All this under the guise of environmental protection. The clear message: „Look here, protesters, we’re actually doing something!“
Finally, the new draft bill also banned walking sticks. It states that the metal tips would „penetrate the delicate volcanic subsoil of Mount Teide and damage it“. Rubber caps are available for such cases, which increase the surface area and protect the ground. Yet even these are explicitly excluded in the draft.
Hiking guides and outdoor organisations are already up in arms. And even mountain rescue teams are likely to have rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Of course, they are entitled to special provisions should lost or injured people suddenly need to be rescued without safety measures in place. However, no such exception has yet been laid down.
Tenerife and the Canary Islands are losing their credibility over Mount Teide
It certainly sounds like „whataboutism“ – that is, the tactic of simply countering a difficult issue with another. Yet at this point, comparisons and questions must be allowed: how can four major film shoots involving up to 100 people, or twelve productions with up to 15 people, be permitted each year, when hiking groups are supposed to be destroying the terrain?
As a rule, many of the up to 400 people involved in the productions do not use footpaths, but film out in the countryside, away from roads and tourists. Pan-tilt cameras, lighting masts and sound equipment do not have sturdy feet, but are often mounted on metal stands. Added to this are lorry-loads of props, toilet trailers and other materials weighing several tonnes, which not only have to be moved up and down but also need to be parked on site.
Film productions in the Canary Islands generated 218 million euros last year. Naturally, Tenerife would like to secure as large a slice of this pie as possible. However, anyone who has ever used environmental protection as a killer argument loses their credibility with – and their connection to – the local population when they apply such a crude double standard.
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