La prohibición de actividades mineras en la ordenación territorial y urbanística, a la luz de la jurisprudencia

Las Médulas, a former Roman gold mining site in León, Spain, exemplifies the transformation of degraded landscapes into UNESCO World Heritage Sites through effective environmental restoration. The study highlights that while natural recovery takes centuries, human-led restoration can achieve significant results in short periods, as seen in projects like Cabárceno Natural Park and Madrid's Manzanares Linear Park, which repurposed former mining areas into ecologically valuable spaces. Conversely, many abandoned mines, particularly in the Bierzo coal basin, lack adequate restoration, leading to severe environmental impacts on soil, water, and ecosystems. The research underscores the need for proactive spatial planning and participatory decision-making to balance economic benefits with environmental protection, drawing parallels with global initiatives like the Minamata Convention. It also critiques the reactive nature of post-mining restoration, advocating for preemptive strategies to mitigate conflicts over resource extraction in sensitive areas.

Ramos Medrano, J. A. (2016). La prohibición de actividades mineras en la ordenación territorial y urbanística, a la luz de la jurisprudencia. Actualidad Jurídica Ambiental, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.56398/ajacieda.00224