After being approached and even heavily criticized by various environmental organizations, the President of the WWF Study Center Gaetano Benedetto has decided to intervene with some clarifications on the controversies sparked by the Jova Beach Party and the environmental impact that the tour of Jovanotti could have been on the beaches where the concerts are held. The public stance of the geologist and scientific popularizer Mario Tozi, and the singer’s immediate reaction (the two have since reconciled), have unleashed a predictable avalanche of social comment and scathing judgments that have also involved the WWF. The association therefore intervened and specified, among other things, that it had worked together “with the least possible impact and in any case in a manageable manner with regard to each individual location”.
WWF SAID NO TO TENTH LOCATIONS FOR JOVA BEACH PARTY – Among the things Gaetano Benedetto explains in the article he is writing in La Stampa is that the WWF’s long work has resulted in dozens of sites that were candidates to host Jovanotti’s tour saying no , which obviously triggers tourism-driven economic and commercial development. “The beaches are not all the same. Precisely on the basis of this principle, in addition to those of the protected areas, dozens of beaches have been excluded from the selection of sites, despite the legitimate requests of numerous local authorities who have applied to the organizers to host the concerts,” reveals the president of the WWF study center. Excluding all beaches in parks, reserves, sites of community interest and special protection areas, he adds: “Each concert area was evaluated considering the surrounding 3km radius, also taking into account the influx of public and spectator paths, using cordoned off paths on existing roads monitored by special staff”.
THE CHOSEN BEACHES, THE PROTECTED ANIMALS, THE PROTOCOLS – Benedict responds to two other issues that have been the focus of the most vehement criticism in recent days. The first still concerns the choice of beaches and the positions expressed by various environmentalists are wrong. “Wanting to pass by heavily artificial beaches in clearly urban contexts, as natural oases, it is both an instrumental exercise and a false one. This does not mean that most artificial beaches have no ecological value, simply that the impacts are more easily controlled and absorbed. Among other things, in many cases very popular stretches of coast, often occupied by bathing establishments, are used for the concerts, which cease their activities for the occasion”. And he is also categorical on the issue of protected animals: “The beaches where the (even occasional) occurrence of protected species (such as the fratino) was possible have been monitored since spring and the dates of the concerts have also been recorded in these places chosen in such a way that they don’t cause any interference”. It also gives that away Analysis, protocols and procedures were applied to the Jova Beach Parties that “the thousands of medium-sized and small events that take place annually on our beaches generally do not exist, and when they do, they are never as complete and thorough. This was possible thanks to a precise selection by Lorenzo, who measured himself against the recipes derived from the screening and analyzes carried out by the WWF.
PEACE BETWEEN MARIO TOZZI AND JOVANOTTI – In the meantime Jovanotti and Mario Tozzi signed the peace about social. “Due to the good faith of both,” the geologist wrote, “we’ll be able to communicate easily over a beer, perhaps on the beach.” We have different views, but that’s the beauty of the Sapiens. I wish you the best, I look forward to your invitation“. After a couple of hours, Jovanotti replied: “Where does Prof want! The look!”. Too bad the protest continues given the stages on social media Rocella Jonica (planned for today and tomorrow) and Viareggio, including calls for a boycott and the petition to stop major events on beaches and natural sites, which has reached 31,000 signatures in a few hours. The controversy continues.