A waterway that is central to eastern Sicily's identity, second in length and flow. A fundamental resource in many respects: naturalistic, historical, geographical (it marks the border between the provinces of Catania and Messina), and landscape. With its gorges, it also represents great tourist interest, always in connection with Mother Nature. The Alcantara River is experiencing a serious drought, an unsustainable situation which indicates how fundamental it is to rethink the relationship between human beings and Mother Earth.
Considerations from the Alcantara River Park
The drought along the river tends to spread throughout the entire 70-kilometer stretch. The roar of the waters is lost, a reminder of Mother Nature's beauty. Carmelo Mangaraci (River Park guide) explains how there is a lack of water from 900 to 500-600 meters above sea level. Anna Maria Noessing (President of the Legambiente Taormina Alcantara Valley branch) indicates that the area of the small gurne is dry. The lack or scarcity of water also leads to fish deaths. The drought of the river Alcantara It's not just caused by climate change. Months of rainlessness is a significant factor, but not the only one.
In the upper reaches of the river, the Siciliacque company and the Letojanni hydroelectric plant are located, which determine its flow. Efforts have been made to investigate illegal withdrawals; thanks to the Water Department, Siciliacque's concession to extract water from the river has been discovered. However, the origin of this license has not been traced; it appears the company transports the water to Messina. Siciliacque sells the "blue gold" to build hydroelectric cabins. This "green" intervention has been decisive in the last three years. Anna Maria Noessing specifies that the hydroelectric plant should withdraw the water and then reintroduce it to a company or another waterway.
Letters have been sent to Siciliacque since 2020 requesting documentation regarding the concession, but no response has been received. This is a truly unsustainable and distressing situation, considering that tourists come to the Gorges in the summer to swim. A refreshment point during the hottest days is thus lost.
Alcantara River, the Ultima Generazione Catania walk
On January 4th, the local group of the broader social movement conducted a field trip along the Francavilla di Sicilia river. Ultima Generazione, an international network of activists, aims to raise public awareness about climate change through radical actions. Their main demand is that governments stop allocating revenues to fossil fuels and instead allocate them to the Reparation Fund, which supports areas and people affected by floods and drought. The Sicilian Agrometeorological Service reports that 2023 was the year with the least rainfall since 1921. Furthermore, precipitation has decreased by 90%. Gesualdo Busacca, A university professor and activist with Ultima Generazione, he wonders what might happen if the situation continues like this. There have been rainy days this month, but precipitation should continue to restore the ecosystem's balance.
A shared and heartfelt walk, which revealed how compromised Mother Nature is. She is a living organism that is exploited in the name of profit., impoverishment, pollution. Both climate change and speculation on the lands and resources of the Great Mother bring serious problems. The situation of the Alcantara River reflects the damage caused by green capitalism. In the name of a fictitious sustainability, striving for the so-called green, In reality, the environment is being gutted. Private interests are emerging in what is called sustainable development. If we allow capitalism to determine the ecological transformation, it won't happen. Pollution, the exploitation of raw materials, and the devastation of entire natural areas will continue. Only by ceasing to pursue endless economic growth, of which the use of fossil fuels is one aspect, can Mother Nature and all living beings find peace.
