# SOS Costa Brava ## Overview **Website:** https://soscostabrava.cat/ **Full Name:** SOS Costa Brava - El moviment que defensa la Costa Brava **Mission:** Defending the Costa Brava against urban speculation and major infrastructure projects SOS Costa Brava is a non-profit federation of more than 25 entities acting against the "urban tsunami" and infrastructure development threatening the Costa Brava. They work to protect this iconic Mediterranean coastline from environmental and landscape degradation through legal action, public campaigns, and social mobilization. Their work exemplifies [[BioFi Glossary#Bioregion|bioregional]] protection principles and aligns with [[BioFi Design Principles]] of place-based governance and ecological stewardship. ## Headquarters **Location:** Carrer del Progrés, 15, 17200 Palafrugell (Girona) **Contact:** [email protected] **Language:** Primarily Catalan ## Organizational Structure **Legal Form:** Non-profit federation **Membership:** More than 25 member entities **Scope:** 22 municipalities of the Girona coastline (Costa Brava) **Founded:** August 2018 ## Mission & Objectives **Primary Goal:** Defending the Costa Brava from urban speculation and major infrastructure projects **Target Areas:** Preventing environmental and landscape impacts along the Costa Brava coastline **Approach:** Stopping harmful developments through courts, promoting protective legislation and policies, and mobilizing entities and individuals Their mission aligns with [[What is BioFi?|BioFi]] principles of protecting [[BioFi Glossary#Common assets|common assets]] and supporting [[BioFi Glossary#Regeneration|regenerative]] development over extractive practices. ## Key Achievements Since 2018 ### Quantified Impact - **15,000 homes prevented** - Successfully stopped construction of 15,000 new homes - **86 urbanizations halted** - Prevented development of 86 urban projects - **6 threatened zones saved** - Protected specific endangered coastal areas - **38 threatened zones defended** - Ongoing protection efforts for vulnerable sites - **Major infrastructure stopped** - Prevented C-31 and C-32 highway projects ### Ongoing Challenges - **30,000+ homes threatened** - Estimate of additional homes that could still be built - **40,000+ new homes planned** - Current development pressure across the region - **100+ new urbanizations proposed** - Development projects affecting 22 coastal municipalities ## Strategic Approaches ### 1. Legal Defense **"Defensa jurídica"** - Using court system to stop harmful environmental and landscape impacts through legal challenges to development projects. ### 2. Public Denunciation **"Denúncia pública"** - Raising public awareness about threats to the Costa Brava through media campaigns and public communication. ### 3. Social Mobilization **"Mobilització social"** - Organizing entities and individuals to participate in protection efforts and advocacy. These approaches demonstrate community-led governance that aligns with [[BioFi Glossary#Bioregional Organizing Team|bioregional organizing team]] methodologies and complement the work of other Catalan organizations like [[Observatori del Paisatge de Catalunya]] and [[Arran de Terra]]. ## Major Campaigns ### "Construir és Destruir" (Building is Destroying) - **Focus:** Raising awareness about numerous threats to the Costa Brava - **Target:** Forest zones, areas of natural interest, and coastal landscapes - **Goal:** Warning that current urban planning will result in loss of natural spaces - **Message:** The Costa Brava is at its limit - a new urban tsunami threatens to erase Mediterranean identity forever This campaign embodies [[BioFi Design Principles]] by prioritizing ecological integrity over short-term economic gains and protecting the cultural and natural heritage of the Mediterranean [[BioFi Glossary#Bioregion|bioregion]]. ### Electoral Campaign: "I tu, què votaràs aquestes eleccions?" - **Focus:** Municipal elections and environmental policies - **Goal:** Getting municipal governments to change environmental policies and protect the Costa Brava - **Approach:** Voter education and candidate accountability ### Conservatori del Litoral (Coastal Conservancy) - **Program:** Coastal protection initiative - **Activities:** Regular conferences and debates - **Recent Event:** Fourth Debate Conference, January 31, 2025, at Auditori Josep Irla, Girona ## Programs & Services ### Environmental Education - **Educational Programs** - Community education about coastal conservation - **School Outreach** - Educational materials and programs for students - **Public Awareness** - Community engagement and information campaigns Their educational approach complements international frameworks like [[Gaia Education]] and supports the development of local environmental consciousness that aligns with [[Bioregionalisme a Catalunya]] principles. ### SOS Costa Brava Education Prize - **"Premi SOS Costa Brava Educació"** - Recognition for educational excellence in environmental conservation ### Threatened Zones Monitoring - **"Zones amenaçades"** - Systematic documentation and protection of endangered coastal areas - **Site-Specific Campaigns** - Targeted protection efforts for particular locations ## Current Initiatives & Job Opportunities ### Active Campaigns - **Salvem la pineda del port d'Aro** - Saving the pine forest of Port d'Aro with Coastal Conservancy - **Llançà Protest** - Opposing urbanization of Farella beach and Rec d'en Feliu - **Municipal Policy Change** - Working with local governments for environmental protection ### Employment Opportunities - **Environmental Educator Position** - Deadline: May 9, 2025 - **Federation Coordinator Position** - Seeking committed person with leadership capacity and ecological vocation ## Member Organizations & Network **Federation Structure:** Coalition of more than 25 environmental and civic entities **Partner Organizations:** Including IAEDEN-Salvem l'Empordà and other regional environmental groups **Geographic Scope:** Covering 22 municipalities along the Girona coastline This federated approach demonstrates [[BioFi Glossary#Multi-capital|multi-capital]] organizing that connects with other Catalan initiatives like [[Resilience Earth]], [[Eixarcolant]], and the broader [[Assemblea Ciutadana pel Clima de Catalunya]] movement. ## Connection to Bioregional Finance SOS Costa Brava's work demonstrates key [[BioFi]] principles in practice: - **Place-based governance** - Organizing around the specific ecological and cultural boundaries of the Costa Brava - **[[BioFi Glossary#Common assets|Commons protection]]** - Defending shared coastal resources from privatization and degradation - **Community ownership** - Federated structure that empowers local entities and citizens - **Long-term thinking** - Prioritizing ecological and cultural sustainability over short-term economic gains - **[[BioFi Glossary#Regeneration|Regenerative]] approach** - Protecting natural systems that support life and community Their model could inform the development of [[What is a BFF?|Bioregional Financing Facilities]] that prioritize coastal protection and sustainable tourism over extractive development. ## Communication & Outreach ### Digital Presence - **Website** - Primary information hub and campaign platform - **Social Media** - Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, X-Twitter - **Newsletter** - Regular updates on Costa Brava conservation news - **Video Content** - Documentary and educational videos ### Media Strategy - **Public Communication** - Press releases and media engagement - **Campaign Materials** - Educational and advocacy resources - **Community Events** - Public meetings and demonstrations ## Funding & Support ### Financial Support - **Donations** - "FES UN DONATIU" donation campaigns - **Membership** - "Fes-te protector/a" - Become a protector program - **Volunteer Work** - "Fes voluntariat" - Volunteer opportunities - **Transparency** - Published transparency and ethical code ### Community Engagement - **Protector Program** - Membership and support system - **Volunteer Opportunities** - Active participation in conservation work - **Educational Participation** - Community learning and engagement ## Key Threats Addressed ### Urban Development Pressure - **Mass Tourism Infrastructure** - Large-scale tourism development projects - **Residential Development** - Excessive housing construction along the coast - **Commercial Development** - Shopping centers and commercial complexes ### Infrastructure Projects - **Highway Construction** - Major road projects (C-31, C-32) - **Port Expansions** - Maritime infrastructure development - **Industrial Projects** - Large-scale industrial developments ### Environmental Impacts - **Landscape Degradation** - Loss of scenic and natural coastal landscapes - **Habitat Destruction** - Impacts on coastal ecosystems and biodiversity - **Cultural Heritage Loss** - Erosion of traditional Mediterranean coastal culture ## Key Concepts **Urban Tsunami:** Term describing massive, rapid urban development that overwhelms natural and cultural landscapes. **Costa Brava:** "Wild Coast" - iconic Mediterranean coastline in Catalonia known for its natural beauty, rocky cliffs, and traditional fishing villages. **Mediterranean Identity:** Cultural and environmental characteristics that define the traditional Costa Brava way of life and landscape. **Zones Amenaçades:** Threatened zones - specific coastal areas under pressure from development or infrastructure projects. ## Innovation Areas - **Legal Advocacy** - Using courts to enforce environmental protection - **Public Mobilization** - Grassroots organizing for coastal conservation - **Educational Outreach** - Community education about coastal protection - **Policy Advocacy** - Working with municipal governments for protective legislation - **Media Campaigns** - Strategic communication for public awareness ## Regional Impact - **Coastal Protection** - Direct protection of Costa Brava landscapes and ecosystems - **Policy Influence** - Affecting municipal and regional planning decisions - **Public Awareness** - Educating citizens about coastal conservation - **Legal Precedents** - Establishing court decisions for environmental protection - **Movement Building** - Creating network of environmental protection organizations ## Success Stories - **Development Prevention** - Stopping 15,000 homes and 86 urbanizations - **Infrastructure Blocking** - Preventing major highway projects - **Zone Protection** - Saving specific threatened coastal areas - **Public Engagement** - Building broad coalition for coastal protection - **Legal Victories** - Successful court challenges to harmful projects --- *Reference compiled from https://soscostabrava.cat/ - Last updated: 2024* *Note: Original website content in Catalan*