The meeting analysed the current state of the coast and the impact of global warming, as well as recent work at the Port Olímpic which has made it possible to recover over 120 marine species
The Plogging Congress has organised a waste clearing exercise at the Nova Icària beach at 10 am tomorrow, Saturday, open to everybody
Friday saw the Port Olímpic host the first day of the Plogging Congress, the sustainability and marine pollution meeting organised by BSM and the Fundació Climent Guitart. The choice of the new Port Olímpic as the venue for the first Barcelona edition of the event reflects the Port’s reputation as a role model for sustainability with a strong commitment to regenerating marine biodiversity.
During the first day, some sixty science and sustainability professionals, as well as companies and organisations, shared their expertise regarding the current state of the Barcelona coast and the Mediterranean in general, and the effects of marine pollution.
The deputy director-general for Clients, Strategy and Transformation at BSM, Miriam Plaza, welcomed participants along with the director of the Port Olímpic, Olga Cerezo. “The latest Copernicus Report reminds us that the ocean is suffering a triple crisis – warming, loss of diversity and pollution – and that the Mediterranean is warming twice as quickly as the global average”, said Plaza. This situation “calls on us to act: it’s not about just discussing sustainability; we have to grasp that our future depends on the water around us”.
University of Barcelona biologist Joandomènec Ros i Aragonès then talked about the current state of the oceans and the social and environmental challenges that scientists and the general public must tackle. Andrea Comaposada, founder of the Anèl·lides association; Xavier Salvador, researcher at the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM) – CSIC; Mikel Ortiz, director of sustainability with World2meet, and Manel Salvador, environmental specialist at the Federació Catalana d’Activitats Subaquàtiques (FECDAS) had a conversation on the threats and impact of climate change in the Mediterranean.
Next, the director of Zoo de Barcelona, Antoni Alarcon, and marine biologist and former director of the Aquàrium de Barcelona, Patrici Bultó, discussed everything that can still be done to change course and fight the effects of global warming and human activity in general on the Barcelona coast and the Mediterranean. “Only with a global transformation and the involvement of everybody –government, businesses, scientists and the public– will we be able to tackle the impact of climate change on the marine environment in time”, said Alarcon. He also gave a message of hope, citing the results of initiatives carried out in the Port Olímpic area in recent years. “The mooring of artificial reefs and the submersion of gabions in 2024, together with the natural integration and greening of the concrete blocks of the sea wall in 2021 have helped recover over 120 marine species in less than a year”.
In addition to the speeches and round tables, the meeting also offered a chance to learn about initiatives and actions that groups and organisations such as the Barcelona Forum District, the Eurofirms Foundation and the Bluewave Alliance are carrying out to help clean seas and oceans.
Barcelona’s first edition of the Plogging Congress concluded with remarks from the corporate director of ESG and Integrated Management Systems at BSM, David Serrano, who stressed the importance of a change of habits to make a world with fewer plastics possible. “Worldwide, a quantity of plastic equivalent to one lorry is dumped every minute. That’s eight million tonnes a year”, said Serrano. “Through the fish we eat, we’re ingesting one credit card’s worth of plastic each week”.
On Saturday there will be a waste clearing exercise at the Nova Icària beach with family shows and workshops
On Saturday, the Plogging Congress will open up to the public and invite everyone to help clean the sand, surface water and seabed at the Nova Icària beach from 10 am to 12 noon.
In addition to volunteers from the general public, the waste collection activity, supported by the Bluewave Alliance, ISDIN and Caser Grupo Helvetia, will also involve members of the Centre Municipal de Vela (CMV), the Barcelona Diving Club, the Club Esportiu Mossos d’Esquadra (CEME), the Secció d’Activitats Subaquàtiques dels Bombers de Barcelona (SAS) and others.
Also on Saturday, the Moll de Mestral wharf at the Port Olímpic will be hosting a new edition of Dissabte Blau, the Port’s family festival. Free sea-inspired workshops and activities for all ages will start at 11 am. Options include craft activities, a reading corner and new workshops organised by Zoo de Barcelona.
Dissabte Blau will round off its October edition with a Xavi Xixarrus show featuring music, dance and laughter. The show will take place at the Moll de Mestral wharf at 1 pm.
