Climate Change and Pollution Threaten Tunisia's Hidden Beaches
In Takelsa, a small town in the northwest of Cap Bon, Tunisia, the effects of climate change, including marine erosion, are already being felt on the town's secluded and secret beaches, cherished by professional hikers. Human impact is evident in the accumulation of waste, mostly plastic, on these beaches.
Pristine Beaches and Lagons
On the "El Mangaa" beach and nearby coast, lagons have retained their natural, wild aspect, where waves, wind, sand, and time have sculpted fantastic rocks, offering a spectacular landscape. Unfortunately, waste, including plastics, has ended up on the sand and between the rocks. Nearly 80% of this waste comes from land, testifying to a vicious cycle caused by humans.
Over-Tourism and Lack of Environmental Awareness
In this part of the Tunisian coast, secluded coves that were only accessible by hiking trails or boat now receive around 1,000 visitors per day, according to Mohamed Temimi, founder of the eco-responsible adventure startup "Tunisian Campers." The most challenging aspect, he says, is instilling nature preservation practices in nature enthusiasts.
Insufficient Waste Management
On the path leading to El Mangaa beach, there are no signs or posters to raise visitors' awareness about respecting the environment and keeping the area clean. In the absence of municipal intervention, the only beach cleaning actions are carried out four times a month by the Agency for the Protection and Development of the Coastline (APAL) from May 18 to September 15.
A Single Person Collects Recyclable Waste
For the entire area, only one person is responsible for collecting recyclable waste. Kaïs Habchi travels on foot, collecting what he finds with makeshift means. "The amount of plastic waste increases every year," he lamented, hoping to obtain the necessary permits to create a collection point in Takelsa and employ at least two more people.
The Importance of Marine Biodiversity
According to Yassine-Ramzi Sghaier, a marine biodiversity expert and co-founder of the marine conservation NGO "TunSea," beaches are not just spaces where people can enjoy the sand and sun, but also complex ecosystems. "What we all need to understand is that beaches are the recipients of all the waste we produce throughout the year. If you throw a plastic bottle into the Oued Medjerda, you'll find it six months later at Coco Beach (Bizerte)."
Need for Awareness and Cooperation
Awareness actions are necessary, especially since civil society associations are absent in Takelsa. A call has been made to create NGOs that could cooperate with the municipality and APAL during their interventions.
Conservation Efforts
A first dirt path to El Mangaa beach is being created, near some luxury villas overlooking the turquoise waters. These villas belong to well-known businessmen, according to locals encountered during a visit organized for environmental journalists.
Collaborative Projects
This visit was organized by the GIZ, through its Project to Support Environmental and Climate Governance for an Ecological Transition in Tunisia (PAGECTE) in collaboration with the Project to Support Tunisian Media (Pamt2). These two projects are funded by the EU and APAL, under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment, in collaboration with the eco-responsible adventure startup "Tunisian Campers" and the startup "TunSea."
Preserving the Ecosystems
The difficult access to some of Takelsa's beaches has prevented the degradation of their ecosystems and alleviated the effects of marine erosion, urban development, and pollution. "We want to anticipate and preserve these shores, sparing them the pressure suffered by the rest of the beaches in Nabeul and Cap Bon, a region with a strong tourist vocation, mainly focused on beach tourism," said Karim Boulifa, the regional representative of APAL in Nabeul.
APAL's Interventions
APAL, which had included El Mangaa beach in the framework agreement between the Ministries of Environment and Tourism, since it now meets the density criterion, organized a cleaning action on the occasion of this visit. In total, 47 beaches in the Nabeul and Cap-Bon region are concerned by APAL's interventions.
Sustainable Tourism
"We don't want to reproduce the example of Coco Beach in Takelsa," said Faouzi Maamouri, a nature conservation expert, alluding to the Isle of Coco or Chatt Coco, a highly sought-after tourist destination until it was overexploited, in Ghar El Melh. A non-eco-responsible rush to beautiful, secluded coastal areas could lead to the degradation of ecosystems and biodiversity and the destruction of habitats.
Ideal Scenario
The ideal scenario, according to Maamouri, would be to enjoy the beauty of the beaches in a sustainable way. "If citizens adopt civic behavior, we won't need trash cans on the beaches," he added, calling for the creation of a nature reserve in Takelsa that integrates the microclimate and ecosystem around El Mangaa beach, where a freshwater source and interesting vegetation cover are found.
Protection Project
The beaches of Takelsa are not part of the coastal protection project against marine erosion, which covers the area from Béni Khiar to Yasmine Hammamet. This project, one of the most ambitious on the Tunisian coast, aims to protect a 32-kilometer coastline.
Ambitious Project
With an estimated total cost of around 300 million dinars, the project, scheduled to start in early 2026, "will change the environmental, tourist, and economic situation in the Nabeul region and throughout the country," hopes Karim Boulifa.
