The president of the Gomera Socialist Group Parliamentary Group (ASG), Melodie Mendoza, has highlighted the effort of the Government of the Canary Islands to maintain environmental and energy policies in the 2027 budget, but has announced that her group will present amendments to reinforce several actions in La Gomera. Among them, it will propose increasing the financing allocated to the Garajonay National Park and providing essential infrastructure to improve waste management.
During the appearance of the head of Ecological Transition and Energy in the Budget and Finance Commission of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Melodie Mendoza recognized that the accounts are prepared in a context conditioned by the end of extraordinary European funds and the need to attend to essential public services.
He explained that the sustainable development and climate change program will have 13.4 million euros, while the mitigation and fight against climate change actions increase to 1.89 million. 1.5 million are also maintained for FEDER projects and another 1.5 million for green infrastructure.
Melodie Mendoza also highlighted the increase in resources to control exotic species, which went from 43,124 to 381,421 euros. He considered that this progress must be accompanied by prevention, monitoring and coordination with councils and city councils, especially given the threat that invasive species and feral animals pose to island ecosystems and endemic species.
Regarding national parks, the program has 13.17 million euros. The items identified for Garajonay total 3.89 million, just 107,883 euros more than in the previous year. “This is not enough,” said the parliamentarian, who announced that ASG will propose an amendment to increase the Park's endowment and another to advance the delegation of its management to the Cabildo of La Gomera.
Energy and waste: investments for the Island
The energy development program grows by 5.41%, to 61.26 million euros. It includes 18.95 million for energy savings and renewable energies, 6.77 million in aid to families and non-profit entities, and 2.46 million for energy storage.
Melodie Mendoza valued the incorporation of one million euros for the energy project of the San Sebastián and Alajeró desalination plants, although ASG will propose expanding the allocation for fire prevention.
In this sense, he highlighted the 10.3 million planned for La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma, and requested that these investments be executed in coordination with the councils. He also announced an amendment to recover the EIRIF helicopter base project in Alajeró and unblock its execution.
In terms of waste, the environmental quality program reaches 18.29 million euros. He announced that ASG will consider incorporating 1.2 million to build a new disposal tank in the environmental complex of La Gomera – whose project has already been drafted – and 2.55 million for a composting plant. Melodie Mendoza pointed out that both actions would improve waste treatment, reduce landfilling and move towards more sustainable management.
The president of the Parliamentary Group assured that ASG will defend these proposals during the budget processing "from dialogue" and with the aim of improving the accounts to respond to the environmental and energy needs of the Island.
