Analysis of environmental conflicts in the Spanish Mediterranean coastal regions

Abstract

Along the Mediterranean coast, the defence of landscapes and territories has become a crucial battleground in social struggles. Coastal areas, rich in natural and cultural heritage but subject to intense economic pressures, have been the scene of recurring tensions between development projects and the preservation of the environment. Here, threats to identity, heritage and the natural surroundings often trigger collective action, giving rise to various forms of environmental mobilisation. This thesis focuses on the Spanish Mediterranean coast and analyses 640 documented cases of environmental conflicts and mobilisations recorded by the MOVxPAIMED research project from 1970 to the present day. Compiled by research groups from seven Spanish universities, this dataset includes detailed descriptions of each mobilisation, from its context and actors to its territorial impacts. The main objective is to interpret and systematise this material, introducing a new categorisation of each case according to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This additional analytical layer provides a standardised framework for understanding conflicts from social, economic and environmental perspectives, enabling comparison over time and across territories. By combining statistical and territorial analyses, the study aims to shed new light on the evolution, patterns and meanings of the last five decades of environmental mobilisation