Who gains from saving nature
Ledger 1 : 33 — For each dollar financing nature-based solutions in 2023, about $33 financed activities harmful to nature. (UNEP)
Cases / Tree planting · Spain · 2024–2025

Spanish region expropriates olive groves for Lopera solar plants

Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.

Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
What the record lacks: 2 none on record · 1 not measured See the gaps

A regional government in Spain declared solar plants in Lopera, Jaén, of public interest and moved to expropriate olive groves from owners who refused to sell. Campaigners put the trees at risk near 100,000, against 13,000 given by the government.

What?
A regional government in Spain expropriated olive groves in Lopera, Jaén, for solar plants after declaring them of public interest. The Local (AFP)
Where?
Lopera, Jaén province, Spain. The Local (AFP)
When?
The expropriation was reported in 2024–2025. The Local (AFP)
Who?
Gained
  • Solar plant developers (not named in sources reviewed) — Gained land for solar plants through the expropriation The Local (AFP)
Lost
  • Olive growers in Lopera who refused to sell — Lost land to compulsory purchase; the number of trees at risk is disputed The Local (AFP)
Harmed
  • Olive growers in Lopera — A 64-year-old grower said felling olive trees to install panels is a crime The Local (AFP)
Why?
The regional government declared the solar plants of public interest, which allowed compulsory purchase. The Local (AFP)
How?
Compulsory purchase of olive land followed a public-interest declaration; the government says land taken by force is less than 1 per cent. The Local (AFP)
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

Spain's regional government declared the solar plants of public interest in Lopera, Jaén province, and moved to expropriate olive land from owners who did not want to sell (The Local, AFP).

Campaigners say close to 100,000 olive trees would be felled; the regional government puts the figure at 13,000 (The Local, AFP).

The government says land taken by force is less than 1 per cent of the land involved (The Local, AFP).

    In court and with insurers

    Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

    Lawsuits and rulings

    No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.

    Insurers

    No insurer decision on record.

    What we don't know

    Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.

    Nature

    • Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.

    Record

    • None on record Gap: the sources reviewed do not name the solar plant developers.
    • None on record Gap: the outcome of the expropriation and the number of trees actually felled are not stated.

    Did the harm stop?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Who paid?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Sources

    Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers

    Press and investigations

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