To ensure that the economic use of beaches and federal maritime zones is balanced with environmental protection and collective rights, the Green Party senators presented an initiative seeking to require concessionaires to contribute to the maintenance and cleanup of coastal areas in coordination with authorities and civil society.
They emphasized that in our country, the federal maritime-terrestrial zone constitutes one of the most valuable natural assets, as coastal ecosystems provide essential environmental services, such as climate regulation, protection against natural phenomena, the reproduction of marine species, and the provision of tourism and recreational resources. However, they pointed out that their economic use must be carried out under criteria of sustainability and social responsibility, addressing issues such as solid waste pollution, the massive arrival of sargassum, and the pressure of tourism on coastal ecosystems.
In this regard, they explained that currently, beaches and the federal maritime-terrestrial zone face serious pollution problems derived from tourism activities, as well as a lack of clear obligations toward those who use them. They explained that according to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the seas and oceans face a serious problem of marine litter pollution, 80 percent of which comes from land-based activities and is mostly composed of plastic waste.
They emphasized that, according to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (PROFEPA), the main sources of pollution on concessioned beaches stem from poor waste management by concessionaires and users.
They added that the massive arrival of sargassum on the coasts of the Mexican Caribbean is also a factor, causing the degradation of coastal ecosystems, affecting water quality, producing foul odors, and reducing the tourist appeal of beaches, resulting in millions of dollars in economic losses.
In response to this problem, they asserted that the experience with sargassum demonstrates that shared responsibility among authorities, concessionaires, and civil society is essential to guaranteeing beach health and the viability of sustainable tourism. They cited as an example the National Beach Cleanup Week events, which each year bring together federal, state, and municipal authorities, tourism concessionaires, civil organizations, and volunteers.
They recalled that in 2020, the Congress of the Union approved a reform to establish as an obligation that concessionaires and permit holders guarantee free and open access to the country’s beaches. However, with this proposal they seek to go a step further: strengthening the obligations of those who use the federal maritime-terrestrial zone, establishing the responsibility to maintain the beaches surrounding the concessioned area in optimal hygiene conditions, thereby harmonizing economic use with environmental protection, ensuring that those who receive a direct benefit from these concessions actively contribute to their preservation.
