The Tarragona Provincial Council will increase its financial support for COPATE (Consorci de Polítiques Ambientals de les Terres de l’Ebre) aiming to provide "the most stable possible" funding for the Terres de l’Ebre Biosphere Reserve. The president of the provincial body, Noemí Llauradó, concluded the brand's first congress, held in Horta de Sant Joan, with a commitment to finalize a new agreement that is already "well underway".
One of the main conclusions from the forum, held on Thursday and Friday, was the need to strengthen the Biosphere Reserve as a stable and cross-cutting structure. This would enable the promotion of innovative projects and enhance the territory's external projection. Llauradó affirmed that the Tarragona Provincial Council will continue "contributing" to COPATE through an agreement that includes regular financial support and an extraordinary contribution for the Biosphere Reserve, thus ensuring that "the projects on the table come to fruition".
The president of COPATE, Ivan Garcia, positively assessed the announcement, highlighting that the Biosphere Reserve is a "long-term project that needs to build alliances and strengthen itself" to leverage its full potential for the Terres de l’Ebre. Garcia recalled that the UNESCO recognition represents "an opportunity to generate prosperity, reinforce the Ebrense identity, and build a sustainable future" for the region.
COPATE is confident that the congress held in Horta de Sant Joan can become an annual event, marking "the beginning of a new era". Speakers agreed that territories preserving their identity and transforming it into opportunities "have a greater capacity to face global challenges". The congress also fostered a desire to "strengthen alliances between institutions, businesses, and civil society" to make the Biosphere Reserve a "truly shared project".
