"What is the 'Unbearable Luxury' Planted by a Spanish Climate Group on a Golf Course?"

Campaign to Plant Saplings and Fill Soil in Golf Course Holes
"Worst Drought in History... Condemning Water Waste at Golf Courses"

In Spain, suffering from extreme heatwaves and drought, climate activists pointed out the 'water waste' of golf courses by filling the holes of 10 golf courses with soil.

According to The Guardian on the 4th (local time), members of the Spanish climate action group XR (Extinction Rebellion) visited golf courses in regions such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, the Basque Country, Navarra, and Ibiza to carry out a campaign of filling golf holes with soil.

On the 2nd, a sapling was planted on a golf course hole near Pamplona in the Navarra region of Spain. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

In a video released by XR on the 2nd, members planted saplings inside the golf holes, covered them with soil, and placed signs that read, "Drought warning. Golf course closed for climate justice."

XR stated in a press release, "We took this action to condemn the fact that golf courses are wasting water while Spain is experiencing the worst drought in its history."

They added, "More than 100,000 liters of water are used daily to maintain the green grass of 437 golf courses across Spain, which is more than the combined water usage of the cities of Madrid and Barcelona."

They further explained, "Spain is becoming increasingly parched, and farmers are suffering losses due to a lack of water to grow crops. This is because of the leisure activities of the elite class, which makes up only 0.6% of the Spanish population," adding, "Their leisure activities are luxuries we cannot afford."

Europe’s Worst Heatwave... Water Usage Restrictions Due to Drought

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, Europe experienced its hottest summer on record last year, suffering the worst damage in 500 years. Earlier this week, a heatwave exceeding 44 degrees Celsius struck Europe.

Spain has also been suffering from extreme heatwaves and drought since last year. Currently, 27% of Spanish territory is under drought 'emergency' or 'alert' status, and some local residents rely on truck deliveries for drinking water. Water usage is restricted in areas such as Catalonia.

In response, the Spanish government approved a financial expenditure plan worth 2.2 billion euros (approximately 3.1111 trillion KRW) in May to help farmers and the general public cope with the drought. Teresa Ribera, Spain’s Minister for the Environment, stated, "Spain is a country accustomed to drought, but due to climate change, it is frequently experiencing severe droughts," adding, "Short-term and immediate support plans are necessary to prepare for this."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.