Sorbas ‘ecocide’ claim reaches German court

Activists lobby to end intensive olive farming that is exhausting the river Aguas

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The dry river and, inset, an intensive olive plantation

By Emma Randle

Environmental activists fighting to save the Rio Aguas from drying up are presenting their case before the International Rights of Nature tribunal in Germany next week.

Representatives of the Acuíferos Vivos group are taking the action to try to combat over-exploitation of the Sorbas river by intensive olive farming, leading to lack of water in rural communities now faced with “loss of livelihood, displacement and ecocide”.

In addition, the group is staging a demonstration in Almería city on Saturday for “the right to water” under the slogan “They steal our water – we fight for it”.

The current regional water plan reveals that up to 400 per cent more water is being extracted from the Rio Aguas than is being replenished.

Read more in this week’s print edition or go to e-paper

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