The Regional Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Carmen Crespo, has highlighted in the Andalusian Parliament the new ‘Drought Plus’ strategy prepared by the autonomous government to prepare Andalusia for a possible more extreme scenario. Carmen Crespo pointed out that «we are in a very deep drought and we have to be prepared, which is why the President of the Regional Government of Andalusia is once again taking the lead with a pioneering policy by presenting this new package of measures».
During her speech, Carmen Crespo explained that it includes a series of measures «that allow for portable desalination, portable desalination, major boreholes, floating intakes in dams and even, as a last resort, the provision of ships in Andalusian ports that make it possible to have water in very extreme situations». The Regional Minister emphasised that the Autonomous Government has carried out important actions in water policies «and for five years now we have been investing in water with 1,097 works carried out, 1,500 million euros invested in works that are being executed and that are currently producing 22,500 jobs and 252 hm³ more than before».
Furthermore, Carmen Crespo stressed that there was a deficit in infrastructures due to the lack of intervention by previous governments. She pointed out that Andalusia had been «decades without receiving investment in purification, or in connections, or in high level supply, or in watercourses, or in dams, and this has been reversed». He added that «this is alleviating very problematic situations in the countryside and in high level supply».
In this sense, she highlighted the intervention of the Regional Ministry in the Marbella desalination plant, despite the fact that it is under state jurisdiction and that it will make it possible to increase the water supply from 6 to 12 hm³. Carmen Crespo pointed out that «the President of the Andalusian Regional Government is carrying out state-owned works, such as desalination, and we are getting involved in all the issues that do not fall within our competence for the good of the citizens».
Collaboration between institutions
The Regional Minister of Agriculture also called for the intervention of the central government because she said that the situation is very complicated and there is no prospect of improvement. For this reason, Carmen Crespo called for «collaboration between institutions, which is fundamental because we all have to pull together». As an example of this, the Councillor reminded that 42% of the Andalusian Government’s public works correspond to hydraulic infrastructures. Finally, the Regional Minister of Agriculture and Water pointed out that the result of the Andalusian Government’s water policies «are all benefits because we have to prepare ourselves and be more resilient against climate change, and for this we have been preparing ourselves over the last five years».