On 8th of April the Congress of Spain has approved by majority the Law on Climate Change and Energy Transition1 pending and only from its last process in the Senate and whose objectives include ending the sale of polluting cars in 2040, cutting emissions and achieving the neutrality in greenhouse gas emissions of the country in 2050. It is the first law in the history of Spain specifically aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change. Will it arrive on time and will it have enough ambition to achieve the expected and necessary changes in the country’s energy infrastructure?
The law has been approved by votes in favor of the majority of the parties2.Only the parties Partido Popular and Más País have abstained, the latter for “lack of ambition” of the law3 and only VOX has voted against. This accusation of lack of ambition in the law has been common among environmental groups. The law comes late (ten years after COP17)4 and badly because groups such as Greenpeace, Ecologistas en Acción or Amigos de la Tierra5 ask to reduce Spanish greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 by at least 55% but the text of the law stays at 23%. President Pedro Sánchez was more optimistic, considering that the law is “a milestone that justifies a legislature” for being “pioneering, innovative and essential.”6.
The law does not only talk about gas emissions. Interesting elements are the prohibition of new exploration authorizations for radioactive and hydrocarbons, the prohibition of fracking, renovation and rehabilitation of buildings for greater energy efficiency or the creation of a Committee of Experts on Climate Change and Energy Transition as responsibles for evaluating and making policy recommendations on climate change. The objective proposed by the text is to reach climateneutrality by 2050.
In a recent statement, the Fridays for Future Spain collective said: “This law is late and does not measure up to science, social justice or the climate fight. Your honorable Members will approve this law and applaud. Of course, do not dare to be proud.”7 And they are right. However, as Congressman Uralde8, also said one should not get discouraged “but see the bottle half full to move on”. We already have a first text of law in Spain aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change. Now it is our task to increase the pressure for greater ambition in future laws that ensure genuine protection of the environment.
1 https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/serviciosdeprensa/notasprensa/transicion-ecologica/Paginas/2021/080421-ribera.aspx 2 https://www.efeverde.com/noticias/congreso-aprueba-primera-ley-cambio-climatico-espana/ 3 https://www.europapress.es/epagro/noticia-mas-pais-verdes-equo-ve-decepcionante-ley-cambio-climatico-acusa-gobierno-falta-ambicion-20210408181342.html 4 https://www.ecointeligencia.com/2011/12/claves-cumbre-durban-cop17/ 5 https://es.greenpeace.org/es/sala-de-prensa/comunicados/greenpeace-advierte-de-que-cualquier-intento-de-descafeinar-la-ley-de-cambio-climatico-dejaria-a-la-poblacion-indefensa-ante-la-emergencia-climatica/ 6 https://www.eldiario.es/politica/sanchez-dice-ley-clima-hito-justifica-legislatura_1_7398907.html 7 https://juventudxclima.es/2021/04/08/comunicado-juventud-por-el-clima-se-posiciona-sobre-la-ley-de-cambio-climatico/ 8 https://www.publico.es/entrevistas/crisis-climatica-juan-lopez-uralde-ley-cambio-climatico-no-final-camino-comienzo-lucha.html