Climate activists group Extinction Rebellion (XR) sabotaged multiple golf courses around Spain.

Spain is currently facing a severe drought while the golf courses are still being irrigated. According to XR, Spanish golf courses use more water than Madrid and Barcelona together. They planted some shrubs and perennials directly into the golf course and set a banner that said, “Golf course closed due to climate justice“. 

Meanwhile, Spanish farmers were instructed to spend less water for the irrigation of crops. While in Catalonia, the daily water usage per person has just been limited from 250 to 230 litres, an 18-hole golf course may use anywhere between 200,000 to 400,000 litres (or 200 to 400 cubic meters) of water per day. This estimate includes water used for irrigation, maintenance, and other course-related activities. In some areas, water consumption may be lower, but it is estimated that in a drought situation in Spain, the actual number is over 1 million litres (1,000 cubic meters) per day. 

From the message by Extinction Rebellion goes:

“This type of elitist leisure cannot continue to be allowed while Spain dries up, and the rural world suffers millions in losses due to the lack of water in their crops for entertainment that barely 0.6% of the population enjoys.

The rich and their leisure activities that waste essential resources are a luxury we cannot afford.

We demand democratic planning for the use of water immediately and the use of truly democratic and participatory tools to decide on our resources.”