Climate activists, including members of Extinction Rebellion (XR) Spain, have taken action by filling in holes at 10 golf courses across Spain in protest against the wasteful water usage associated with maintaining the sport. The protest, which occurred in Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Ibiza, Navarra, and the Basque country, aimed to draw attention to the “elitist leisure pursuit” of golf during severe drought conditions.
Using cement to fill some holes and planting seedlings in others, the activists highlighted the disparity between water usage for golf courses and the ongoing drought crisis. XR Spain stated that the maintenance of golf courses in Spain consumes more water than the cities of Barcelona and Madrid combined. According to the group, a single golf hole requires over 100,000 liters of water per day.
In a social media video, XR Spain emphasized that only 0.6% of Spain’s population plays golf, yet the sport continues to consume significant amounts of water during one of Europe’s worst droughts. The activists argue that such elitist leisure pursuits cannot be allowed to continue, especially when Spain’s rural communities suffer losses in agriculture due to water scarcity.
Spain has been experiencing drought since early last year, with government officials warning that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of such events. Reservoirs have declined to as low as 10% of capacity, and some regions have seen temperatures surpass 47°C (116.6°F). The European Drought Observatory indicates that over one-third of the continent is currently under a drought warning, with 10% facing severe drought conditions.
In addition to targeting golf courses, XR Spain has announced plans for broader actions against the use of private jets and high-polluting cars by the wealthiest 1% of society, emphasizing the need to address resource-intensive leisure activities in the face of environmental crises.
