The Junta, or regional government of Andalusia, has unveiled plans to protect the Andalusian coastline from further degradation, and strike a better balance between economic development and environmental conservation.

Called ‘A strategy for integrated management of coastal areas’, the 114 page document is the result of 2 years of work by the Junta and the University of Cadiz. The Junta aims to introduce the strategy into law by the end of 2008.

The document identifies nine key problems to address, the most serious being over development. The strategy proposes “halting processes of widespread urbanisation, and limiting certain economic activities on the Andalusian coast.”

The document also warns of the deterioration and over exploitation of water resources in the region.