The Euskal Herria Bizirik movement, in a context where Euskal Herria has over 330 macro-projects, has presented a manifesto signed by 49 organizations. This document outlines their opposition to large-scale renewable energy projects and calls for a demonstration in Vitoria on May 23, in defense of the land and against these macro-projects.
Members of the movement have stated that while small-scale renewable energies focused on self-consumption are valuable, they oppose large-scale projects due to their impact on the land and biodiversity, and because they prioritize corporate interests. They emphasized that the current model does not seek a true energy transition, but rather the accumulation of energy production systems and the creation of new demands, using energy for speculation.
“"This is not a transition; what they are doing is accumulating renewable energy production systems and creating new needs (especially linked to data centers), to speculate with energy."
In Araba, a data center of the company Merlin Properties, located in Ribabellosa, will have a capacity of 350 MW once completed, which is 1.15 times more electrical energy than all of Araba consumes annually. It has been stated that this data center will be supplied with 100% “renewable” electricity, but this would require almost 20 photovoltaic macro-plants of 200 hectares each, or almost 50 photovoltaic macro-plants of 50 MW, implying a massive occupation of the territory.
Euskal Herria Bizirik highlights the concept of ecological emergency, not just climatic, linking it to incessant human-driven economic growth and the massive use of fossil fuels. The movement advocates for a social model that places life, nature, territory, and biodiversity at its core, above the interests of capitalism.
“"We must put life, nature, territory, biodiversity at the center; however, what is being prioritized are the interests of capitalism, to grow incessantly at a frantic and unlimited pace, above life and nature. That is what is causing the ecological crisis."
They have also expressed opposition to biometanization plants, especially large-scale ones, due to the significant environmental impacts caused by the transport of organic matter and the management of digestate, such as nitrate contamination. They have criticized the Territorial Sectoral Plan (PTS) for Renewable Energies of the Basque Government, arguing that it has become a “red carpet” for energy multinationals, disregarding the ecological and social value of the territory.
