PRIORITIES

For Spain, Climate Scorecard proposes climate mitigation strategies to help achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. These strategies include the following:

• Greater Institutional Cooperation Between the General Administration of the State and the Autonomous Communities
• Promotion of an Increase in Forest Cover

• Increased Knowledge and Implementation of Capture and Storage Technologies
• Greater Climate Cooperation with International Agencies and Developing Countries.

 

NARRATIVE

Greater Institutional Cooperation

Another strategy is the institutional cooperation between the General Administration of the State and the Autonomous Communities (first-level political and administrative division in Spain) that aims to support the national plan of action so that regional sustainability policies are developed. The foregoing, in line with the reduction of greenhouse gases and the commitments acquired by Spain in the Kyoto Protocol and with other measures and policies aimed at sustainability.

By promoting that within the responsibilities of each of the institutions, measures to improve energy efficiency, renewable sources and demand management as well as awareness and awareness plans, it will allow energy saving and the fight against climate change become a sign of development and quality of life in the different territories.

The role of the institutions should be to develop and enhance where they already exist, regional strategies to combat climate change, which include mitigation measures, adaptation, prospective, research, development and technological innovation.

The Climate Change Policy Coordination Commission can take charge of the implementation of this strategy by promoting cooperation between initiatives related to the assessment of impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change at the regional level and ensuring its coherence within the framework of the national plan of adaptation to climate change.

The initiatives of this strategy are:

• Promote industrial policies for the evaluation and reduction of energy consumption of its products and services, as well as promoting carbon sinks.
• Promote policies to combat climate change, particularly in aspects related to energy, transport, building and urban planning.
• Facilitate and promote the monitoring of regional strategies, as well as initiatives to combat climate change and adaptation.
• Ensure coordination between regional research initiatives and the National R + D + i Plan.

 

Indicators to measure the progress.

• Greenhouse gas emissions at the regional and total national level.
• CO₂ emissions from electricity consumption (g/kWh).
• Emission reduction targets.
• Degree of penetration of renewable energies in the communities.
• Number of municipalities with local plans to combat climate change.

Promotion of an Increase in Forest Cover

This strategy promotes increase in Spain’s forest area. The forestry cover in Spain is 5,058,476 acres (63.8% of Spain total land use). Through afforestation and reforestation actions on agricultural, abandoned or degraded lands. In addition to the restoration of the vegetation cover, through adequate silvicultural actions and native tree species.

Spain needs to support research and development activity on the role of the forestry sector as a collector of greenhouse gases, covering aspects such as carbon forestry and remote sensing techniques. Finally, it is essential to establish preventive actions to avoid forest fires.

The allocation of emission rights that provide for the compensation of base year emissions for land use activities, land use change and forestry to each facility are approved by resolution of the Council of Ministers. This council is made up of the Ministries of Economy and Finance, of Industry, Tourism and Trade and of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Indicators to measure the progress.

• Carbon content of plant ecosystems.
• Increase of carbon in these ecosystems.
• Increase or decrease of forest/agricultural/forest area/ pastures/wetlands/urban settlements/other uses.
• Area that undergoes changes in land use, that is, the number of hectares that change from one use to another.

Capture and Storage of CO₂.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has considered that the capture and storage of CO₂ constitutes one of the mitigation measures for the stabilization of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases.

The necessary measures to implement the capture and storage of CO₂ are the location of sources and sites within the national territory and their storage potential. It is essential to monitor and coordinate national initiatives that are carried out in this matter.

Spain needs to increase its knowledge of state of the art of carbon capture and storage technology; research its application in Spain, its legal implications and participate in the development of international, European and third country capture and storage technology negotiations.

Indicators to measure the progress.

• Analysis of the storage potential in Spain (Mt CO₂), identifying locations and timing.
• Degree of technology development at each stage in Spain.

Climate change international cooperation and cooperation with developing countries

Taking into account the importance of climate change in the processes of sustainable development and the fight against poverty; international cooperation and cooperation with developing countries is recommended. This approach suggests improvements  in Spain’s development cooperation policies and  increases in Spain’s contributions to programs and projects with an impact on climate change.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) can help implement this strategy in Spain, by supporting an increase in the country’s OECD financial contributions to climate change programs. Spain also can increase the amount of its foreign aid funds targeted towards climate change assistance to developing countries.

Indicators to measure the progress.

• Annual amount disbursed by Spain in development cooperation on climate change.
• Periodic evaluations of cooperation programs, projects and plans

Contact:

Valvanera María Ulargui Aparicio, General Director of the Spanish Office for Climate Change

Tel.: 91 597 68 44

Email: buzon-sgacc@miteco.es

Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, Minister of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge

Tel: 91 597 65 77

Email: informacionma@mapama.es

Image Source: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101

This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Spain Country Manager Wendy Paredes