IbizaPreservation

Large forest masses such as the Amazon rainforest are the ecosystems that capture the most CO2 from the atmosphere.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Answer explanation

Posidonia Oceanica, a type of Mediterranean seagrass that grows in large meadows in the sea off Ibiza and Formentera, is so effective at capturing CO2 from the atmosphere that it exceeds the Amazon by a significant margin. A single hectare of Posidonia can sequester as much carbon as 15 hectares of Amazon rainforest. For this reason, one of IbizaPreservation’s four strategic projects is Posidonia Protection.

How much of the oxygen we breathe on the plant comes from the 50,000 km2 of Posidonia in the Mediterranean Sea?

• To 30%

• To 50%

• To 70%

• To 80%

Answer explanation

Posidonia acts like a huge pair of lungs, as it is the most efficient system for sequestering CO2. Together with reefs, this makes it a great ally against climate change. In 2022, IbizaPreservation is partnering with the local environmental group Gen-Gob to monitor the Posidonia Oceanica meadows in Cala Vedella, one of the most degraded coves in Ibiza.

How long does a single Posidonia plant take to grow to cover 50m2 of seabed?

• 1 year

• 10 years

• 50 years

• 100 years

Answer explanation

While a forest can recover relatively quickly, Posidonia takes seconds to destroy and centuries to regenerate. For this reason, at IbizaPreservation we work to raise awareness and this year will be developing a course on responsible sailing aimed at both private boat skippers and nautical companies.

In the last 25 years, sea level...

• Has stayed constant

• Has fallen by one centimetre

• Has risen twice as much as expected

• Has risen by less than expected

Answer explanation

According to National Geographic, in the last 100 years the sea level has risen between 10 and 20 centimetres. Together with National Geographic and one of its explorers based in Formentera, Manu San Félix, we are currently working on a blue economy study that aims to promote the protection of 30% of Mediterranean waters by 2030.

How many plastic bags are used worldwide every minute?

• More than 50,000 

• More than half a million

• More than one million

• More than 10 million

Answer explanation

Only 1% of all of these bags is recycled. At IbizaPreservation are working to promote a complete rethink of the way we produce, use and manage plastic through our Plastic Free Ibiza & Formentera project.

How long does it take one plastic bag to disappear from the planet?

• More than 100 years

• More than 300 years

• More than 500 years

• More than 1000 years

Answer explanation

Water pollution by plastic bags causes thousands of deaths of fish and other animals such as cetaceans, turtles and birds. Through Plastic Free Ibiza and Formentera we are fighting against single-use plastics via the implementation of a Balearic-wide certification system. Focused on the hospitality sector - the biggest generator of waste - Plastic Free Balearics rewards businesses who reduce their plastic footprint and has already managed to eliminate nearly 100,000 plastic bottles.

KM0” agricultural products help us to reduce our environmental footprint even if they are not organic.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Answer explanation

KM0 or local products are those that are produced less than 100 km from the point of consumption. This means they reduce pollution when transported. A KM0 product is not necessarily organic, as herbicides may have been used in its production. However, organic products can themselves be highly polluting if they have been flown in. IbizaPreservation’s Ibiza Produce project works to promote both organic and KM0 products.

What percentage of Ibiza and Formentera’s total food needs is covered by local produce?

• 72%

• 56%

• 3.7%

• 14.3%

Answer explanation

Ibiza and Formentera are only considered to have a "high" level of self-sufficiency in production of alcoholic beverages and dried fruits and nuts. For the majority of products it is non-existent. Our Ibiza Produce project works to improve the food sovereignty of our islands and to promote a circular economy. This kind of data is also compiled by another of our main projects, the Sustainability Observatory. Its aim is to analyse trends and identify challenges, as well as identifying Ibiza’s degree of compliance with the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Until IbizaPreservation launched this project in 2018, there was no other entity that systematically collected and analysed such information.