Preserve natural environments
The Principality is home to three protected areas, whose purpose is to reconcile the preservation of the environment with the reception and awareness of the public.
Sorteny Valley Municipal Park: located in the north of the country and integrated into the Three Nations Pyrenean Park, it protects peaks, but also remarkable wetlands, classified RAMSAR. It can be discovered through its paths, but also its botanical garden and an interpretation center.
Madriu-Perafita-ClarorValley: located in the south-east of the principality and representing nearly 9% of its surface area, this glacial valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural landscapes. In addition to its biodiversity, it retains the features of an ancestral agriculture and pastoralism.
Comapedrosa Valleys Natural Park: located in the west of the country, it is home to the highest peak in the country (Comapedrosa Peak). Trails allow you to discover these magnificent spaces, which protect a great diversity of flora and fauna.
The Principality and climate change
Climate change could increase the vulnerability of the Andorran territory, with a greater frequency and intensity of extreme events (floods, forest fires, landslides), all phenomena that promote soil erosion and the degradation of natural environments, impacting both biodiversity and human activities. Faced with this situation, the Principality, which declared a state of climate and energy emergency in 2020, is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, in accordance with the Paris Agreements. Andorra's roadmap includes actions in the area of energy efficiency in buildings and the development of renewable energy production (including a district heating network using co-generation and photovoltaics), which would also contribute to reducing its energy dependency.
Other projects include the "green schools" project. This is a program initiated in 2010 that aims to "green" school operations (recycling, energy savings, etc.), as well as teaching, by including subjects related to the environment and good practices. The Principality also wishes to engage in a more efficient management of its waste, in a circular economy approach. In terms of agriculture, Andorra intends to diversify its production, with crops adapted to its mountain constraints, with a view to the resilience of the territory. Another area for improvement is the transport sector, which is a major emitter of greenhouse gases. Andorra is initiating actions in favor of soft mobility (electric bikes) and inter-mobility. The principality is accessible by train (Andorra - L'Hospitalet or Latour-de-Carol station) and shuttle. Cycling and walking itineraries allow a more authentic approach to the territory and respect for the living environment. The principality has a greenway, the Camí Ral d'Ordino, which will eventually link Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany.
The country intends to involve the citizen in its ecological and energy transition. We can also question the impact of the Andorran banking sector, which goes beyond the borders of the principality.
