The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment presided over the closing ceremony of the 2016 Climate Projects in Madrid.
The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, today presided over the closing ceremony of the Climate Projects 2016, where she stressed that these projects “have proven to be a useful tool in the fight against climate change, as they contribute to promoting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the so-called diffuse sectors (transport, transport, etc.). residential, waste, etc.), responsible for just over 60% of total emissions in our country and in the European Union”.
These Climate Projects, in their fifth call, are aimed at reducing emissions in diffuse sectors, fluorinated gases or industry not subject to the emissions trading system.
In the five editions of the Climate Projects, 250 projects have been selected, going from 37 in 2012 to 63 in this edition, with the promoter entities of all sizes and belonging to both the public and private sectors.
In this regard, the minister stressed that many of them also have important additional environmental objectives, such as those related to the circular economy, a “production model that we are going to support decisively in the coming years”, she stressed.
García Tejerina highlighted the contribution of the Climate Projects to the reduction of emissions, since since their implementation in 2012, they have led to a total reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions of more than 7.4 million tonnes.
SPAIN’S COMMITMENTS TO THE EU AND THE PARIS AGREEMENT
In this regard, the minister recalled that Spain must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in these sectors by 10% compared to 2005 and, to this end, her department is designing a national regulatory framework, in line with its obligations as members of the EU and commitments to the Paris Agreement.
García Tejerina announced that Spain is already working on the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan for the period 2021-2030, as well as on the future Law on Climate Change and Energy Transition. In its preparation, the Ministry will have the opinions and contributions of everyone, because, the minister added, “the fight against climate change must be, by definition, a choral effort”.
To conclude, the minister announced that on March 15 the new call for Climate Projects, corresponding to 2017, will be launched.
