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CatCrazyJulie
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Another piece of ammunition that may be helpful in the fight against the "Cabo Cortes" monstronsity is recent research finding that the Cabo Pulmo
marine reserve has shown the greatest fishery recovery of any marine reserve *in the world*. See article: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjourna...
Against the odds of tremendous financial and political pressure, perhaps there's hope for this little jewel! It's an example to the world of what is
possible.
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BajaNews
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WWF: Mexican gov't should pull permits on tourism project in Baja
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2011/09/20/wwf-mexican...
September 20, 2011
Mexico City – The government should cancel the permits granted to Spanish developer Hansa Urbana for its Cabo Cortes tourism complex in Mexico's Baja
California Sur state, the World Wildlife Fund, or WWF, said.
The coastal-urban project represents a serious threat to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the Gulf of California where its
development is set to take place, WWF-Mexico representative Exequiel Ezcurra said in a press conference on Monday.
The project would have a predictably negative impact on Cabo Pulmo, a protected area "described by the scientific community as the healthiest marine
reserve in the world," Ezcurra said.
Other environmental groups, including Greenpeace, began alleging in mid-2010 that Hansa's project, which calls for a total investment of some $2
billion, would affect the 20,000-year-old Cabo Pulmo reef, one of the oldest in Mexico's Pacific region and located just 17 kilometers (10.5 miles)
from the tourism complex.
Cabo Pulmo is home to 226 of the 875 species of fish that live in northwest Mexico's Gulf of California, government reports say.
The Mexican government declared Cabo Pulmo a protected area in 1995 and it is now a national park sprawling over 7,111 hectares (17,558 acres), with
about 99 percent of the park made up of protected marine areas.
"The project is badly authorized, ill advised, flies in the face of public opinion as well as the internal opinion of the Environment and Natural
Resources Secretariat, and ignores all scientific evidence that counsels against its authorization," Ezcurra said.
Accepting the destruction of an ecosystem so valuable to local communities without saying anything "would be a crime against future generations," the
WWF-Mexico official said.
The project would have an infrastructure at least twice the size of the biggest tourism development in the state, Los Cabos, which has 11,026 rooms,
of which practically half are unoccupied most of the year, WWF-Mexico director general Omar Vidal said.
Cabo Pulmo is an example of the ecological benefits that healthy ecosystems provide, an internationally accepted model of successful environmental,
social and economic development," Vidal said.
The developer, however, said last week that its buildings "will not affect Cabo Pulmo" and that it is being targeted by a "disinformation" campaign.
The resort, which is being developed by Hansa Urbana unit Hansa Baja Investments, covers 3,800 hectares (9,382 acres), of which 2,500 hectares (6,172
acres) will be protected natural areas and 1,300 hectares (3,210 acres) will be developed, Cabo Cortes director Jesus Guilabert said.
Cabo Cortes "is not going to appear from one day to the next" and will "grow in an orderly manner," Guilabert said.
Development plans call for building about 8,000 condominium units, 15 hotels, a marina with 490 slips and two 18-hole golf courses at Cabo Cortes,
developers said last month.
The project will create about 19,000 jobs, including 8,000 direct jobs and 11,000 indirect positions, the development company says.
The Environment Secretariat approved Cabo Cortes's environmental impact statement in September 2008.
The project was later temporarily halted when a resident filed a request for a review of the project.
Environmental officials gave the go-ahead to the project for the second time in March, but they set certain conditions.
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BajaNews
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Pristine Baja village fights planned resort
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Pristine...
By Dudley Althaus
November 24, 2011
CABO PULMO, Mexico — Another showdown in the decades-long struggle for the soul of Mexico's tourist-magnet coastlines flares in this tiny seaside
village tethered near the tip of the Baja Peninsula.
Villagers and an international coalition of environmentalists are taking on the Spanish developers of a mammoth resort planned for the edge of a
fragile coral reef offshore of Cabo Pulmo, an hour's drive north of the sun-and-rum mecca of Los Cabos.
The only one of its kind in the Sea of Cortes, ecologists say the reef is a crucial and awe-inspiring fisheries breeding ground that draws scientists
and recreational divers from around the world. Pollution from the planned Cabo Cortes resort, on the coast a few miles to the north, would quickly
destroy the reef and its sea life, they say.
Its developers argue that Cabo Cortes — where they envision a 490-berth marina and the parched desert blooming with golf courses surrounded by some
30,000 bedrooms in hotels, condominiums and villas — will bring eco-friendly jobs and tourist dollars to a backwater in need of both.
While financiers usually prevail in past such skirmishes, this time the fish might have a chance.
“Once lost, we won't be able to recover this,” dive master Enrique “Kiki” Castro, 41, a member of Cabo Pulmo's dominant family, recently told a
visiting delegation from the United Nations and other international organizations investigating the impact.
“It's best to save this now,” he said. “Because there will be no going back.”
Mexican officials, who approved Cabo Cortes nearly four years ago, might be reconsidering. And the financially strapped developer — Hansa Urbana — has
lost control of the project to its lender, which in turn has been taken over by Spain's central bank.
No one knows what a new owner of the project can or will do with it. So opponents are pouring the pressure on President Felipe Calderón, who prides
himself on ecological sensibilities.
Sergio Stabansky, a Cabo Cortes spokesman, said planners are in agreement that Cabo Pulmo should be protected, adding, “We are the most interested in
seeing that. Because it's not just the heritage of the Castro family, it's a heritage of all Mexicans.”
Adding to the pressure, Mexico's largest television network, Televisa, last week broadcast a three-part series on Cabo Pulmo overwhelmingly
sympathetic to the environmentalists' argument.
“In the coming year or two we are going to see all kinds of changes,” said biologist Exequiel Ezcurra, a former president of Mexico's National
Institute of Ecology who is among Cabo Cortes' opponents. “Historically in Mexico when attention turns elsewhere these kinds of rogue projects are
approved.”
Cabo Pulmo's Castro family descends from the fisherman and pearl diver who first settled here a century ago. They share their village with scores of
Americans and Canadians, many retirees, who have built comfortable bungalows along the shore and the surrounding desert.
With Cabo Pulmo's fishing grounds badly depleted, marine biologists convinced the Castros and the Mexican government to protect the reef, leading to
its designation as a national park in the mid-1990s where fishing is banned. Biologists say the fish stocks have grown fivefold since the beginning of
the century.
Having given up decades of commercial fishing, the Castros and other villagers now earn good livings providing diving and snorkeling tours. There are
several small hotels and restaurants in Cabo Pulmo and a handful of others along the nearby coast. Scuba loving tourists make day trips from Los
Cabos.
Cabo Pulmo's dozen dive sites are far fewer than some Caribbean reefs. But fans say the quantity and diversity of the fish — sharks, dorado and
grouper, as well as jacks that swarm in schools thousands strong — astound.
“It has brought us a quality of life,” said Judith Castro, 38, the family's foremost environmental activist. “This is an area for tourists who like to
be in contact with nature and with original communities.”
Lighted by solar power and free of cellular phone signals, the village retains a quiet, easy-going vibe that other beach communities lost long ago.
“Everyone that is here is really different,” said Cremin Huxley, 67, a sea-loving South Dakotan who first visited in the 1980s and has lived here full
time for 15 years. “You have to be a little bit on the pioneer side.”
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BajaNews
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Cabo Cortés is risky for the environment and investors
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/cherrera/cabo_cortes_is_ri...
Carolina Herrera
May 25, 2012
It’s easy to see why the Spanish developer Hansa Urbana set its eyes on the Cabo Pulmo region of Baja California for a proposed tourism resort project
known as Cabo Cortés. Unspoiled beaches stretch as far as the eye can see and clear, turquoise waters abound with brightly colored marine life. The
problem is that as currently proposed, Cabo Cortés would irreparably damage the natural wonders that are precisely what tourists want to see. The fact
is tourism, especially coastal tourism, depends on a healthy environment. This is why potential investors in Cabo Cortés must understand that its many
uncertainties and risks would not only harm the environment and local community – but also make it a very unwise investment. NRDC’s new investor risk
advisory (see link below) details key issues potential investors in Cabo Cortés must consider. The good news is there are better alternatives to Cabo
Cortés and the local community is eager to work with interested partners in ensuring the long-term, environmentally-sustainable growth of the region.
Investor risk advisory:
http://www.nrdc.org/international/12051001.asp
Cabo Cortés is proposed on 3,814 hectares just north of the Cabo Pulmo National Park, home to the most important coral reef system in the American
Pacific and considered the “most robust” marine reserve in the world. The proposal entails constructing the equivalent of nearly 30,000 guest rooms,
two golf courses, a marina, a private jet port, desalination and waste-water treatment plants and other infrastructure. Investors should understand
that the massive Cancun-style project is just not the right choice for this fragile location.
Reference:
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/cherrera/cabo_cortes_is_th...
My colleague Amanda Maxwell and I were recently in Mexico to launch NRDC’s new report Hansa Urbana’s Cabo Cortés Project in Baja California Sur:
Investor Risk Advisory which looks at environmental, legal, political, market and other risks associated with Cabo Cortés that should give investors
pause:
Environmental impacts could degrade the park and coral reef system
- The incredible Cabo Pulmo coral reef is truly what distinguishes this destination from other parts of the Baja peninsula. Simply put, if the reef is
degraded one of the main tourist draws would be lost. There is a very high risk that currents would carry sedimentation and other pollutants from the
development into the marine reserve’s fragile coral system, which would be unaccetable. In fact, Mexican Environment Secretary, Juan Rafael Elvira,
has said Cabo Cortés cannot go forward if it affects the environment.
Pending legal reviews could set back the project indefinitely
- Local groups filed several legal and administrative appeals related to violations of environmental planning ordinances, fragmentation of the
project’s approval process, and risks to protected species habitat. These legal actions are still pending and could significantly delay or even
prevent implementation of Cabo Cortés.
Cabo Cortés is highly controversial and political scrutiny is increasing
- Investors must be aware that the environmental concerns surrounding Cabo Cortés are not new, nor are they limited to the local community and
environmental groups. Back in 2008, when the project was first proposed, certain departments within the Ministry of Environment expressed doubts about
the project due to its potential environmental impacts. In light of ongoing concerns about the project’s environmental and social impacts and the
pending legal appeals, some Senators are looking closely at the project’s review process in case it failed to comply with Mexican laws.
Without water there can be no Cabo Cortés
- For a tourism project to be commercially viable, especially in an arid region like Baja California Sur, the most important consideration must be
access to water. Cabo Cortés proposes to obtain water from an aquifer and desalination plant, yet both proposals have risks that investors should know
about. The aquifer may be over-exploited and if the project adversely impacted the local fresh water supply it could mean severe reputational costs
for investors. Furthermore, the desalination plant isn’t even approved yet because of concerns that toxic hyper-saline discharge could flow into the
park.
Uncertain market demand in the area
- Potential investors also need to consider whether there is even demand for the type of tourism “product” Cabo Cortés represents. Tourism sector data
from the nearby Los Cabos resort towns show that annual occupancy rates don’t exceed 65%, indicating that there may already be an oversupply of large
all-inclusive resorts and big hotels near Cabo Pulmo.
Uncertainties about Hansa Urbana
- Hansa Urbana, the Spanish parent company of the Cabo Cortés developer may be a risky corporate partner. In Spain, some of its projects have been
highly controversial and there are some pending investigations, including into alleged tax fraud.
It’s not a choice between Cabo Cortés or nothing at all
Cabo Cortés is an ill-conceived project that doesn’t belong near one of Mexico and the world’s greatest natural treasures. In fact, the risk it poses
to the Cabo Pulmo National Park calls into question the very long-term viability of the project. Investors, as well as the Mexican government, should
simply say no to Cabo Cortés.
Yet this not a choice between a Cabo Cortés-style major resort or nothing at all. That is simply a false choice. There are better alternatives than
Cabo Cortés and the local community is ready to embrace them. While we were in Cabo Pulmo, Amanda and I heard about how the community has worked to
become increasingly sustainable and has laid out a strategic plan that will help them move toward a tourism model that is environmentally sustainable,
economically sound and generates benefits for the local community.
With innovative partners and a continued commitment to the protection of the Cabo Pulmo reef from the government, it will be possible to ensure
development around Cabo Pulmo is environmentally-sustainable. Cabo Cortés is just not the way to go.
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
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15875 signatures to date
Done and the petition is simple to sign. 
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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Ken Bondy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaNews
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Pristine...
By Dudley Althaus
November 24, 2011
The only one of its kind in the Sea of Cortes, ecologists say the reef is a crucial and awe-inspiring fisheries breeding ground that draws scientists
and recreational divers from around the world. Pollution from the planned Cabo Cortes resort, on the coast a few miles to the north, would quickly
destroy the reef and its sea life, they say.
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I like Pulmo and have dived it many times, but I am bothered by incorrect statements like this because I think it detracts from everything else the
writer says. Pulmo is NOT the "only one of its kind" (typically this means "the only living coral reef in the SOC"). There are living patches of
coral reef all up and down the East Cape, from Cabo San Lucas to Bahia de Los Muertos. There is a large living coral reef at about 60fsw just off of
Punta Pescadero that appears to me to be much larger than Pulmo with equal or greater diversity. Pulmo is nice but writers should not exaggerate its
uniqueness, I think that doesn't help the cause.
carpe diem!
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David K
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Cabo Cortes may also cause Gobal Warming!
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dtbushpilot
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Cabo Cortes may also cause Gobal Warming! |
I'd say it already has with all the hot air being blown around by the opposing sides of this potential project....dt
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dtbushpilot
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Cabo Cortes may also cause Gobal Warming! |
I'd say it already has with all the hot air being blown around by the opposing sides of this potential project....dt |
 
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windgrrl
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| Quote: |
I like Pulmo and have dived it many times, but I am bothered by incorrect statements like this because I think it detracts from everything else the
writer says. Pulmo is NOT the "only one of its kind" (typically this means "the only living coral reef in the SOC"). There are living patches of
coral reef all up and down the East Cape, from Cabo San Lucas to Bahia de Los Muertos. There is a large living coral reef at about 60fsw just off of
Punta Pescadero that appears to me to be much larger than Pulmo with equal or greater diversity. Pulmo is nice but writers should not exaggerate its
uniqueness, I think that doesn't help the cause. |
I agree from what little I have seen, e.g. here are is a small coral formation around some big rocks near Los Barriles with very good snorkelling.
There are also many stalled development projects big and small up and down Baja, yet always one more parcel of land fenced off for the next big dream,
while some of the old developments close.
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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DianaT
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Posted today on COSTASALVAjE facebook
Hoy por la mañana el Presidente Felipe Calderón decretó como cancelado el proyecto de Cabo Cortés. ¡Cabo Pulmo Vivo!. Felicidades por este éxito a
todas las organizaciones de la sociedad civil, pobladores de Cabo Pulmo y habitantes del Planeta que apoyan su conservación y protección. La tarea
sigue pues el megadesarrollo destructor es un amenaza latente, no solo para Cabo Pulmo sino para toda la Hermosa Península de Baja California. Qué
viva la Sociedad Civil Organizada.
[Edited on 6-15-2012 by DianaT]
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teadust
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Cabo Pulmo CANCELLED!
Mexico cancels planned Baja resort project near protected coral reef
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/mexico-canc...
Mexico’s president has announced the cancellation of provisional permits for an enormous, Cancun-sized resort planned for the Baja California
shoreline in front of a protected coral reef.
President Felipe Calderon says the Cabo Pulmo reef is the only coral reef in the Gulf of California, and as such merits special care and protection.
The reef is also one of Mexico’s most successful environmental rescue projects. Marine life has exploded after local fishermen decided almost two
decades ago to stop fishing the area and use it for ecotourism instead.
A Spanish developer had obtained provisional permits for about 30,000 hotel rooms, golf courses and a marina near the Los Cabos resorts.
But Calderon said Friday the company hadn’t performed required additional studies needed to rule out any impact on the reef.
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Loretana
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Cabo Pulmo Resort Project Cancelled!
From today's Los Angeles Times.....
<<http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/06/mexico-cabo-pulmo-reserve-project-canceled.html>>
"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."
-Nikola Tesla
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Ateo
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Very good news.
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Iflyfish
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Hoooooray~!~ That is great news indeed!!
Iflyfishwithsnorkelandmask
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Hook
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Boy, that would never happen under a PRI president. At least the ones we've seen in the past.
I wonder if Pena Nieto will be able to override the permit cancellation, when he is elected next month?
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BFS
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Estupendo!!!!
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Steve in Oro Valley
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Hi:
I just read the Calderon story in the Tucson paper; This proposal was so wrong, for the area 
I remember Las Barracas in 1976. San Miguel vine blooming its red flowers in December, growing in the sand dunes....
Steve in Oro Valley
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bajajazz
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Location: La Paz, BCS, Mexico
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With Spanish banks poised to go down the toilet due to ill-advised real estate speculation (along with the economies of Greece, Italy and Ireland) it
is fundamentally ridiculous that Spain was even considering financing a project the size of Cabo Pulmo.
The "irrational exuberance" described by Alan Greenspan is obviously not a phenomenon exclusive to Wall Street.
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Udo
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CABO PULMO DEVELOPMENT CANCELLED!
CABO PULMO DEVELOPMENT CANCELLED!!!
On June 15, President Calderon announced the demise of the proposed "Cabo Cortez", the mega-resort project, granted initial permits four years ago by
Mexican authorities. The plan called for a 9,400-acre development with 30,000 hotel rooms, a marina and several golf courses.
Discover Baja joins with numerous environmental groups in celebrating this victory in preserving Cabo Pulmo, the only coral reef in the Sea of Cortez.
Calderon announced Friday that the permits were being revoked since the Spanish developer had not demonstrated that the resort wouldn't harm the
environment.
"Because of its size, we have to be absolutely certain that it wouldn't cause irreversible damage, and that absolute certainty simply hasn't been
proven," Calderon said. "To sum it up, Cabo Cortez won't be built."
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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