The Oiartzun City Council, along with ten local stakeholders including Elika cooperative, Arraztalo consumption group, and Haurtzaro ikastola, has agreed upon and presented the Aroa Decalogue. This document emphasizes Oiartzun's need to embrace an ecosocial transition to confront the climate emergency and the limitations of the current economic and energy system. The signatories have defined it as "a roadmap for building the Oiartzun of the future, a compass for a new era."
The organizations supporting the decalogue have indicated that ecosocial transition is a multifaceted issue, requiring responses to crises across all areas caused by the capitalist system. They believe Oiartzun already possesses strong foundations, such as nature protection measures, its own water management, and high recycling rates. However, it also faces significant challenges, including high car usage and an unsustainable consumption model.
Consequently, they have established ten principles for building a more habitable and sustainable Oiartzun: renewable energy, sustainable transport, reduced consumption, local producers and production, small businesses, sovereignty, care, community, equal opportunities, and resilience. "We, the signatories of the Aroa Decalogue, have agreed on the main guidelines for our town's ecosocial transition, and we commit to supporting and promoting them collaboratively, as a community and through participation," they stated.
Regarding renewable energy, they stressed that the debate is not about whether they are necessary, but how they should be organized. They advocate for a plan that shifts energy generation to non-profit organizations and public entities, ensuring fairer distribution and local community control, while respecting nature. They express distrust towards Repsol's wind projects near Aiako Harria due to potential harm to the environment and public interests, and highlight the need for joint work on other wind projects under consideration.
Any stakeholder, entity, or individual wishing to do so can join the Aroa Decalogue via the website oiartzunburujabe.eus, where the decalogue is available for reading and the adhesion form can be downloaded. In the coming months, two talks are planned to keep the topic relevant and encourage reflection.
The presentation took place in Arditurri, a location chosen for symbolizing a "change of era." "We have named the decalogue Aroa because we inevitably need a change of era, a paradigm shift. It is not enough to question isolated things; we must go deeper," explained the signatories, who see the former Arditurri mines and their surroundings as a symbol of this transformation, integrating an industrial past into nature and becoming a space for leisure and well-being.
