28th May 2004 will see a new large-scale eco-tourism scheme launched by BioRegional and it’s partner WWF in Portugal. The development is part of an overall project that covers an area of 5,300 hectares and brings together sustainable housing, nature conservation, reforestation and ecofriendly transport. Work will begin over the next few months on the 6,000-house, €1billion scheme in Mata de Sesimbra, just south of Lisbon.

The development, which replaces a proposal to build a conventional tourist resort, will be completely powered by renewable energy, dramatically reduce waste to landfill – to just 5 per cent of the Portuguese national average – and use rainwater collection and waste water recycling systems to achieve huge cuts in domestic water consumption and irrigation. Furthermore, more than half the food served in tourist facilities will come from local sources. There are also plans to create a sustainable transport network – featuring for example shared and non-petrol vehicles, and a cycle route encompassing the entire site. The aim is to eliminate the need for private cars in the area.

The project includes a 4,800-hectare nature reserve in which habitat corridors, linking surrounding protected areas will create safe havens for vulnerable nesting birds such as the Bonelli eagle. The site will also be home to one of Europe's biggest privately financed forest restoration projects which aims to recreate native indigenous woodland – mainly cork oak and umbrella pine – replacing the existing eucalyptus and non native pine forest.

WWF projects that over the next 20 years tourism in the Mediterranean will rise by 50 per cent to an estimated 350 million people visiting the region each year.

"Tourism is eating into our natural capital. It can often have a very negative impact on the environment, "said Dr Claude Martin. "New models such as Mata de Sesimbra are vital if tourism is to go hand in hand with sustainable development."

The Mata de Sesimbra project is the first of a series of ambitious sustainable development schemes to be launched by One Planet Living, a joint initiative of WWF and BioRegional – development partners in London’s ‘BedZED’ sustainable housing project. The initiative aims to set up "One Planet" living communities of some 5,000 people in the USA, China, South Africa, Australia, and other European countries, such as France. Each community will include schools, offices, factories, transport networks and health and leisure facilities.

"It is time to switch from words to action and put sustainable development into practice," said Pooran Desai, Director of BioRegional. "One Planet living is about developing solutions to some of today's greatest challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss."

The One Planet Living Programme - a partnership with WWF

If everyone in the world lived as we do in Europe we would need three planets to support us. Therefore we need to reduce our impact - our ecological footprint – by two thirds to a sustainable and globally equitable level. Different countries however are consuming at different levels. In the USA, five planets would be needed, whilst in China although now living within the one planet level, the current rapid development will lead to a massively increased impact.

The challenge that faces us all is: how can people everywhere enjoy a high quality of life, within the carrying capacity of one planet? One Planet Living is a partnership between BioRegional and WWF which will show how this is possible by establishing five One Planet Living Communities in Europe, USA, China, South Africa and Australia. Each community will be home to more than 5,000 people and include schools, factories, health and leisure facilities, transport and food links.

The goals of this programme are to:

1. Establish a world-wide network of One Planet Living Communities to demonstrate One Planet Living in action, building on lessons learned from BedZED eco-village.

2. Promote One Planet Living through OPL products and services which reduce our ecological footprint, such as local paper cycles.

3. Raise awareness of the imperative for One Planet Living and its guiding principles to catalyse change with governments, business and individuals.

One Planet Living Communities will adopt the following guiding principles:

1. Zero carbon
2. Zero waste
3. Sustainable transport
4. Sustainable and local materials
5. Local food
6. Water efficiency
7. Conservation of flora and fauna
8. Respect for Cultural heritage
9. Equity and fair trade
10. Happy and healthy lifestyles

Visit the BioRegional website.

Apr Jun

This page was last updated: Friday, May 28, 2004 at 7:49:30 AM
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