The negative incidence of the controversies about Gibraltar in the environment of the Bay of Gibraltar/Algeciras

Abstract

The different controversies about the central dispute about Gibraltar, manifesting themselves in various legal and political levels, pose a set of environmental incidents affecting the rich ecosystems of the Bay of Gibraltar, the relationship among territories and the quality of life of the inhabitants on the zone. As a general rule, the dispute over Gibraltar lacks of a permanent channel of cooperation among Spanish, British and Gibraltarian administrations. For some time the tripartite Forum of Dialogue seemed to be the appropriate frame to treat cross-border issues, including the environment. Its predictable end reduces the chances of agreement on key environmental issues needed to improve the quality of life of the people living both sides of the Bay.