Socialists denounce Teide ecotasa as “greenwashing” and a “permanent lie”
The Socialist Group in Tenerife’s Island Council (Cabildo), through councillor Javier Rodríguez, denounced this Friday in a plenary session what they see as the “permanent lie” underpinning the island’s government. They accused the administration of boasting about the success of the so-called ‘ecotasa’ for Teide, which came into force this January, despite it only impacting 2.1% of the park’s visitors. The fee applies solely to those accessing two of the National Park’s 41 hiking trails.
A “paltry” impact on real overcrowding
During a Socialist motion, which was rejected by the majority of the council, Rodríguez accused the governing group of using the Park as a “backdrop” and applying a “greenwashing” strategy in its management—aiming to create an appearance of action while providing no real solutions. “Tenerife has a government founded on a lie,” he warned. He criticised the fact that the trail access fee, which came into effect two weeks ago, has a mere “2.1% impact on the population visiting the Park,” a figure he called “paltry” in relation to the real overcrowding problem on Mount Teide.
Furthermore, Rodríguez added that the issue is compounded by alleged crashes and failures on the website and app used to pay the ecotasa and make reservations. He also questioned the status of all the measures agreed upon in the April 2024 plenary session, which were to include a final conservation levy and a comprehensive model for controlling and managing park access based on its current carrying capacity.
Cross-party calls for a comprehensive model
From Vox, councillor Ana Salazar conveyed her party’s support and recognition for the progress made, such as implementing the ecotasa. However, she urged the promotion of a comprehensive model over fragmented protection and conservation measures for the Park. “We are acting late and in a fragmented way, without a comprehensive planning model,” she added.
Government defends record and announces new plans
For the island’s government, the Director of the Natural Environment, Pedro Millán, defended the actions taken to date. He contrasted them with what he called the “non-existent management” of the previous administration, specifically from 2015 onwards, which he said failed to establish a framework for control and surveillance in the Park despite growing visitor numbers.
He highlighted the implementation of a surveillance service system in the park, which will now allow coverage of previously non-existent evening and night-time slots using Rural Guards in coordination with state security forces. To this, he added the establishment of surveillance at the peak of Teide and celebrated the recent transfer of the Park’s management powers to the Tenerife Cabildo. This move, he noted, will allow for improved management details, such as adding 17 more staff members.
In parallel, Millán also advanced the government’s work on a ‘Viewpoint Use Plan’. This plan aims to sanction companies that misuse viewpoints while preventing illegally operating companies from using them at all. He further emphasised the Cabildo’s increased investment interest in the National Park, differentiating it from the budget approved by the PSOE in 2021 (€6,147,000). “In 2026, we have approved €9,857,000.”
Additionally, he stated that the island corporation’s objective for 2026 is to begin controlling access for private rental vehicles, “so that the majority of people visiting the Park do so by public and discretionary transport.”
PP accuses PSOE of hypocrisy
Manuel Fernández of the PP (Partido Popular) criticised the Socialist Group for demanding now, in less than a year, what they failed to do during 12 years leading the island. In this sense, he pointed to the incapacity of the Socialist party, which also failed to reach an agreement for the transfer of Teide’s management powers and kept a key document—the Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG), which sets the roadmap for the National Park—on the table without action, even while also governing in the Canary Islands regional government under the ‘Pact of Flowers’.
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