The Balearic Ornithology and Nature Defense Group has reported an increase in the dissemination on social networks of unauthorized activities in protected natural areas of Mallorca, a practice it considers growing and which, it warns, puts conservation of the environment at risk and fosters a sense of impunity.

The GOB Mallorca, Arrels Marines, and the affected property owners' association ANACA warned this Wednesday that the project for a second electricity cable between Mallorca and Menorca is not a viable solution in its current terms and have called for a thorough review of the environmental impact study. They stated this at a press conference in Alcúdia, where they also presented the objections they have registered within the framework of the project's processing.

The environmental group GOB in Mallorca has warned that the Government intends to allow the modification of the protection regime of the Trenc-Salobrar de Campos natural park by decree, through an amendment included in the processing of the strategic projects law. As the organization has denounced, this modification would mean a "radical change" in the legal framework of the protected area, since until now any alteration of its regime required the approval of a law in Parliament.

The territorial sections of the GOB have demanded urgent measures to guarantee a fair fare for school transport, given the growing cost of discretionary services which makes it increasingly difficult to carry out activities outside the classroom.

Social and environmental organizations have launched the citizen campaign Salvem Portopí with the aim of stopping the planned transformation in this area of the Port of Palma. The initiative, promoted by ARCA, GOB, Palma XXI, and Fridays For Future Mallorca, calls for a reorganization of port uses that is "logical, quick to execute, and respectful of historical heritage and the environment". The project they question includes the possible implementation of an industrial estate and a waste treatment plant in the Portopí dock. According to the organizations, this action would constitute an "environmental and landscape aggression" in a space with high historical and symbolic value for the city.

A BASE jump from a prohibited area in the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range has raised concerns among environmentalists in Mallorca. The video of the jump, circulated on social media, shows the activity taking place just meters from one of the few remaining active osprey nests, a species listed as vulnerable and currently beginning its breeding season. The Balearic Ornithological and Nature Defense Group (GOB) has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, requesting increased monitoring of sports and adventure activities in the Serra de Tramuntana to protect endangered wildlife. According to the statement, the jump was made from an exclusion zone designated by the Natural Resources Management Plan (PORN), which prohibits all recreational and sporting activities. The video, clearly identifiable, shows both the jumper and the person who retrieved them with a boat, as well as the name of the company that organized the activity. Environmentalists point out that the exclusion zone is precisely the area with the highest biological value or fragile natural elements, as established by the Law for the Conservation of Areas of Environmental Interest. The osprey has only 11 breeding pairs located in Mallorca last year, and any disturbance could seriously affect its reproductive success. The GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group) warns that the growth of adventure tourism and mountain sports can have negative impacts on species conservation and calls for responsibility from citizens and businesses. "Access restrictions to the most environmentally sensitive areas must be respected," insist the environmentalists, who demand immediate action to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The GOB, in line with the Anaca platform, questioned the need for the second electricity cable between the Iberian Peninsula and Mallorca and demanded a less impactful alternative. This project, the environmentalists stated in a press release, not only has "potentially serious" environmental and climate impacts, but its technical and energy necessity has not been properly justified. Furthermore, less impactful alternatives, including prioritizing energy consumption reduction or other efficiency measures, have not been evaluated. Therefore, the GOB filed an appeal with the Ministry for Ecological Transition against the Council of Ministers' agreement approving the grid plan for 2026, which includes this second cable. "This criticism does not dismiss the importance of guaranteeing a secure supply, but rather asserts that energy planning cannot circumvent key issues such as reducing consumption, energy sovereignty, or the social and environmental cost of dependence on large infrastructures," the organization concluded.

The public estate of La Trapa was the setting today for a tribute to Francesc Moll i Marquès, known as Xesc Moll, one of the most important figures in Mallorcan culture and environmentalism. The event, organized by GOB Mallorca, the Obra Cultural Balear (OCB), and Nova Editorial Moll, aimed to recognize the crucial role Moll played in the consolidation and direction of both organizations. Far from a mere formality, the tribute had a strong symbolic and activist component. The choice of La Trapa was not accidental: Moll was one of the key figures in the public reclamation of the estate when he presided over GOB between 1978 and 1981, a pivotal moment for Mallorcan environmentalism. The event included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, speeches by representatives from the cultural and environmental sectors, as well as from the honoree's personal circle. A musical performance by the duo Atrapados, formed by members of the estate's volunteer group, further emphasized the event's commitment. During the speeches, emphasis was placed on the contrasting models that Moll successfully navigated throughout his career: unfettered development versus the defense of the land and culture as a tool for social transformation. Both the GOB and the OCB agreed in describing him as a figure of consensus, capable of combining technical rigor with a long-term strategic vision. The son of philologist Francesc de Borja Moll, Xesc Moll directed Editorial Moll for decades and was a founding member of the GOB. He actively participated in some of the island's main environmental battles, such as the defense of the Albufera and Dragonera lagoons, and briefly held institutional positions, always with a critical and independent perspective. The organizing entities also wanted to highlight the figure of Matilde Echeto, his wife, whom the GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group) considers essential to understanding Moll's civic and personal commitment. Today's tribute served to solidify Xesc Moll's legacy in the very landscape he helped to preserve and to demonstrate the widespread recognition of a figure who marked an era in the struggle for language, culture, and territory in Mallorca.

The GOB Mallorca environmental group has warned of discrepancies between the seasonal facilities project submitted for public comment by the Palma City Council and the tender published on the Public Sector Procurement Platform, which includes rates "significantly" higher than those initially planned. The environmental organization stated in a press release that the initial project included an economic and financial study with maximum unit rates for services such as sunbeds, parasols, and pedal boats throughout the municipality. However, as they have denounced, the tender includes a new study with higher prices and even services not previously included, such as premium sunbeds and canvas parasols, which could lead to charges exceeding authorized levels.

The GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group) has filed a complaint against a restaurant with the Coastal Authority and the Felanitx Town Council for illegally occupying part of the Arenal Petit beach in Portocolom. According to a statement released by the environmental group, the establishment occupies the entire six-meter-wide right-of-way that, by law, must remain clear within the public maritime-terrestrial domain.

He GOB Mallorca The environmental organization has warned that new beach service fees cannot be applied without official approval through the corresponding legal procedure. The organization has filed objections to the Economic Study for the Operation of Seasonal Services following recent reports of a possible price increase on Palma's beaches as a result of the new tender, which it describes as "exorbitant" and outside the legal framework.

Those who have demonstrated this year against mass tourism demanded a "change of course" towards a new economic and social model in the Balearic Islands. In fact, "We're changing course" was the slogan of the mobilization organized by the Less Tourism More Life platform in July 2024, which brought together nearly 50,000 people in Palma. The opposition also uses the same words to discuss and reject the policies implemented by the government. However, faced with social and political criticism, the governing bodies of the institutions ask where the solutions are that all those who frequently complain have proposed.

Anthony Bonner, one of the world's leading scholars of Ramon Llull, has died in Palma at the age of 97. Born in New York in 1928, he became a key figure in the cultural, ecological, and academic life of the Balearic Islands after arriving on the island in 1954. His life was defined by the study of Ramon Llull's life and work, and he is considered one of the world's foremost specialists on Llull's oeuvre. His research brought about a profound renewal of Lullian scholarship, primarily because it combined rigorous philological analysis with a meticulously crafted philosophical and scientific approach. Bonner dedicated decades to editing texts, reconstructing original versions, and establishing reliable criteria for understanding the evolution of Llull's thought. One of his most outstanding contributions is... Doctor IlluminatusThis work contextualizes Llull within the medieval tradition and clearly explains his desire to unify knowledge, faith, and reason through art. Furthermore, Bonner played a fundamental role in the institutionalization of Lullian studies, both from the University of Barcelona and through his participation in the critical edition of the Complete Works of Ramon Llull Promoted by the Majorcan Studies Society, her work helped to dispel common misconceptions and offer a more nuanced and modern image of Llull, showing him not only as a mystic or missionary, but as an innovative thinker interested in logic, mathematics, and science. Thanks to Bonner, Llull's work is now much more accessible and understandable for students and researchers worldwide.

I still can't come to terms with the news: Xisco Avellà He was leaving us forever. It was Pep Lluís Pol who told me on Tuesday morning, "Yesterday Xisco set sail on his final voyage." It was hard to believe, especially since just a few days before he himself had told me he was feeling better. Suddenly, stories, anecdotes, campaigns, situations, events… all starring him began flooding my mind.

Xisco Avellà (Palma, 1957), founder and historic president of the GOVERNMENT He passed away this Monday in Palma. When discussing the environmental movement in Mallorca, the social influence of the GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group), and the consolidation of a strictly island-specific environmental awareness, his name inevitably comes up. A biologist, teacher, and tenacious activist, Avellà was one of the leading figures in the strategic shift that the GOB underwent in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a period many consider pivotal in the modernization of conservationism in the Balearic Islands.

The GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group) has filed objections against the administrative concession application submitted by the company Menani SA to legalize a terrace, a boathouse, and a staircase in Cala Castell (Pollença), following the announcement published in the BOIB (Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands) No. 137 of October 16, 2025. The group warns that these structures already exist and originate from old concessions that expired almost thirty years ago, which legally requires their removal from the public maritime-terrestrial domain. According to the Coastal Law and its regulations, once a concession ends, the Administration must decide whether to maintain or demolish the facilities. In this case, no administrative decision is on record, which implies, by legal imperative, that the removal should have been the only option. Therefore, no new concession can be processed for structures that should have already been removed. The GOB also denounces that the processing of this concession violates the principle of public competition, since the law requires a public tender when authorizing the private use of the Maritime-Terrestrial Public Domain (DPMT). This obligation has been repeatedly confirmed by case law, including a 2021 ruling by the High Court of Justice of Andalusia. Furthermore, the existing facilities do not comply with the Coastal Law, as they are not necessary for any use requiring them to be on public land and constitute an unjustified privatization. They also violate environmental and urban planning regulations, given that they are located in an Exclusion Zone of the Natural Resources Management Plan (PORN) of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, where any construction or residential/commercial use is absolutely prohibited. The project also presents serious technical defects, such as the use of outdated plans, cartographic inconsistencies, and the inclusion of a second building that had never been authorized. The works are causing severe landscape damage, represent an unjustified privatization of the coastline, and violate the urban planning regulations of the Pollença General Urban Development Plan (PGOU) and the Territorial Plan of Mallorca. It is also false that the houses have any heritage value, as they have no listed building designation and are built with modern materials. GOB sources are therefore requesting that the concession requested by Menani SA not be granted and that all existing structures within the Maritime-Terrestrial Public Domain (DPMT) and its easements be demolished and removed, in order to restore the coastline to its natural state. Sources from the environmental organization reiterate that the coast is "a public asset that must be preserved for the enjoyment of all, and that tolerating illegal uses consolidates a model of coastal degradation that is contrary to the law and the public interest."

The GOB Mallorca (Balearic Ornithological Group of Mallorca) has filed objections against the proposed battery plant in Pollença, promoted by the company Atlantica, arguing that it involves an "inappropriate use" of rural land and poses "serious environmental risks." According to a statement released by the group, the objections have been registered with the Directorate General for Circular Economy, Energy Transition, and Climate Change. The project, which is being processed as a strategic industrial project, includes an energy storage plant with an installed capacity of 10 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 40 megawatt-hours (MWh).

GOB Mallorca presented the report this Friday in Parliament Impacts on the work of ecosocial transformation in the Balearic Islands. A degrowth proposalPrepared by the Garúa cooperative, the document argues that a well-planned eco-social transition could lead to a net increase in employment, with higher-quality jobs and more dignified working conditions, while simultaneously improving the quality of life for citizens. GOB spokesperson Margalida Ramis explained that the report puts forward "fundamental proposals" to move towards an economic model less dependent on tourism and more aligned with the archipelago's ecological limits. "The Balearic Islands are a limited, fragile territory, damaged by environmental and economic crises that must be at the center of the social and political debate," she emphasized. She added that the goal is for the document to serve as the basis for a public discussion throughout 2026 on the economic, social, and political viability of these proposals. A model based on over-tourism

UIB researcher Iván Murray, a member of the GRICCS research group, has presented a metabolic analysis of the Balearic economy, that is, an evaluation of the energy and material flows that sustain the current model. According to Murray, since the end of World War II, the Islands have become "a laboratory of touristification," a process that has fueled dependence on an abundant and cheap workforce to serve an ever-increasing transient population. This model, he explained, has been accompanied by strong demographic and territorial pressure, as well as a high level of energy and material dependence. Currently, each person generates a daily material footprint of 27.4 kilos, and 90% of the energy consumed in the Islands is used for electricity and transportation—air and land. "We are an economic system that requires many external resources and leaves an unsustainable environmental footprint," Murray warned.

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The GOB Mallorca environmental group has urged the Public Prosecutor's Office to open a criminal investigation into the poisoning of three red kites found this year. In a press release issued Tuesday, the environmental organization recalled that three dead kites were found in two hunting areas in February and March of this year, having ingested poisoned bait. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment opened two disciplinary proceedings last September and forwarded the request to the Public Prosecutor's Office to open a criminal investigation. The environmentalists are also urging the Public Prosecutor's Office to open an investigation given the "seriousness" of the incidents and agree with the Ministry that there are "clear indications" of a possible wildlife crime. The red kite is a species listed as endangered in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species, and, as has been pointed out, the use of poison is prohibited and constitutes a serious crime under the Penal Code, with prison sentences of up to two years and fines of up to €200,000. In their opinion, the death of these birds highlights the need to intensify investigations and the strict application of regulations to definitively eradicate the use of poison in the natural environment of the Balearic Islands. The GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group) has informed the Public Prosecutor's Office of its intention to appear as a private prosecutor in these poisoning cases in order to have access to the documentation generated and to provide, if the prosecutor deems it appropriate, all the information derived from the telemetry tracking of these birds.

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The GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group) has filed a complaint with the European Commission against the land acquisition and administrative simplification laws passed by the government of Marga Prohens, alleging they "violate European environmental law and the Water Framework Directive." According to the organization, these regulations represent "a complete break with European environmental law and jeopardize the islands' basic natural resources, especially water, an overexploited and fundamental resource in the context of the climate crisis." The complaint was formally registered earlier this week and is directed against the Balearic Islands' regional government and the Spanish government. With this action, as explained by GOB spokesperson Margalida Ramis, this completes "the legal and institutional offensive that the GOB has launched in recent months against the decrees and laws of the Prohens government that profoundly interfere in territorial and urban planning without adequate guarantees of participation, environmental oversight, and respect for regional powers." It is worth noting that in recent months the organization has already filed two appeals with the Constitutional Court and onecomplaint before the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to UNESCO, regarding the effects on the Tramuntana mountain range. "It is the final, decisive, and strong push," he emphasized.

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