Speech by President of the Government at inauguration of Workshop on future Climate Change and Energy Transition Act

Madrid

Mr Minister for Industry, Energy and Tourism; Madam Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environmental Affairs; Mr European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy; public officials; ladies and gentlemen; dear friends,

Thank you very much for your attendance and involvement in these workshops. We are called here today to tackle the greatest challenge we face at this time: climate change; a challenge that is called to define our times but which, due to its environmental, social and economic consequences, we can consider, without exaggerating, to be one of the most important crossroads we have had to face ever.

Climate change calls on all of us to ask about the future of the planet, it places us with a responsibility to leave the world a better place than what we inherited and we are called on to take urgent measures since this is a process that is already under way.

If you will allow me, I would like to underline from the start that, by talking about this issue does not mean that one is optimistic or pessimistic, because by looking at this issue objectively is enough to understand its extraordinary impact.

The figures are what they are. In the 20^th Century, the sea level rose by almost 20 centimetres and it continues to rise each year. Arctic ice is becoming less dense and even disappearing. Glaciers are diminishing in size and in some cases have even disappeared. Deserts are growing and extreme meteorological phenomena, such as droughts and storms, are becoming more frequent each year.

And none of this is happening by chance. Climate change, according to scientific consensus, is not alien to human action; specifically, due to the fact that we have driven our development through the use of fossil fuels which, by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, have raised the average temperature of the planet by 0.8 degrees compared with pre-industrial levels.

You are experts in this phenomenon, and hence, I won't repeat scientific figures to you that you are already well aware of. My aim today is to show the government's support for these workshops that must provide the content for the future Climate Change and Energy Transition Act. Furthermore, I will also take this opportunity to inform you of the measures we have already taken and those that we should implement in our country.

I will do this from the conviction I believe we all share: the fight against climate change is such a great responsibility that it will show the true measure of each society. And Spain is willing and ready to be a decisive agent in this fight because, fortunately, in the same way as a consensus exists on the causes of climate change, we also know that the answer is in our hands.

Ladies and gentlemen,

This response inevitably involves propitiating a profound change in our methods of producing and consuming. It has taken decades to reach this unanimous consensus but between the Kyoto Protocol signed in 1997 and the Paris Agreement in 2015, we have taken a great leap in terms of ambition and we have acquired a commitment which, for the first time, places an obligation on the 146 countries that ratified this agreement. This exercise in international consensus is a measure of the new state of the global conscience: we are now all fighting on a united front.

As you are all well aware, the aim of the Paris Agreement is to maintain the increase in the average global temperature at less than 2ºC higher than pre-industrial levels, and even, if possible, less than 1.5ºC higher. And I would like to highlight the leading role being played by the European Union which, in order to achieve this goal, has taken on the greatest commitment from among those proposed: to reach the year 2030 with at least 40% fewer emissions than in 1990 and to reach the year 2050 with between 80% and 95% fewer emissions than in that year.

Our country not only shares, but also wants to be at the forefront of this commitment. To that end, in Paris, Spain undertook to implement its own national framework through a Climate Change and Energy Transition Act that the government wants to make a reality during this term of office; a law whereby we wish to push through the transition of our economy towards a low carbon model that is also able to gain in competitiveness, a law that requires the greatest scientific knowledge available, and hence, that requires the contribution of these workshops.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are not starting from scratch. Over the course of the 10th Legislature, we have made significant progress in the fight against climate change. I am not going to list each and every measure, but I believe it would be appropriate to underline some actions that have had an impact. I am talking about such innovative initiatives as the Plans to Promote the Environment and the Climate Projects, the Carbon Footprint Register, the incorporation of the climate change variable in the main environmental laws approved and, of course, the measures to adapt to the impact of climate change.

By involving key sectors, we have made a definitive commitment to two policies that necessarily go hand-in-hand: reducing emissions and taking steps towards a new model of production and sustainable consumption.

We must not become complacent, but we have already seen some encouraging results. Emissions have not only been reduced, but we have also managed to show something that is key: that economic growth is not necessarily tied to an increase in emissions and, consequently, we have shown something else that is important: that Spain is a country that meets its commitments. We met the commitments taken on in Kyoto and we are complying with the Paris Agreement and the Climate Change Convention, because between 2012 and 2015 we have contributed some 1.4 billion euros of public climate financing to developing nations and our goal is to increase our contribution to 900 million euros per annum as from the year 2020.

Ladies and gentlemen,

If there is one area where we must be ambitious, then this is it. That is why we must continue to take positive steps with a clear goal in mind: to move towards a low carbon economy. Each country must define its own strategy in this area according to its characteristics and here Spain has its own challenges.

The first step is to minimise the impact of climate change on our most vulnerable sectors, eco-systems and population. This is a point of special importance, because this is the country with the greatest biodiversity in Europe and we have a responsibility to protect this natural heritage.

The second challenge is to try and de-carbonise our main productive sectors whilst ensuring that this transition stimulates economic growth and job creation and strengthens our competitiveness.

This is also a key point because, if we manage to forge a coherent and balanced legislative instrument, we will be protecting our water resources, agriculture, industry and such important services sectors as tourism. And we could go further, because the challenge of the change in model, the transition towards a new form of production, will generate, like all great transformations, new realities as well.

This is something we are already seeing, because year-after-year technologies are being developed geared towards greater effectiveness in the use of natural resources and in energy consumption. This innovation allows us to comply with the dual aim of caring for the planet and guaranteeing sustainable development whilst also bringing us new opportunities and the potential to generate tens of thousands of new jobs. That is the future and we must not be left behind. If we have the capabilities, we must provide the means to achieve our goals and the Climate Change and Energy Transition Act will be the instrument that allows us to do this.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The fight against climate change goes in hand-in-hand with another of the main challenges of our time: energy transition. And I can tell you now that, if Spain manages to achieve a sustainable, safe and competitive energy system, we will not only be meeting our commitments on emissions, but we will also ensure that our environmental and energy policy is a pillar of our competitiveness, growth and job creation.

This is not the first energy transition we have undertaken. Just think about the change from coal to petrol. In fact, we should not forget that Spain heads up the generation of renewable energy sources: more than 40% of the electricity we consume comes from these sources. And we are going to remain committed to them, and furthermore, do so in a more efficient manner because, in contrast to other energy transitions, on this occasion we are talking about improving our well-being by using less energy and reducing our climate footprint. And it is also a question of ensuring an energy supply at competitive prices, since the price of energy, as you know, is key for our families, for growth, job creation and competitiveness.

What does this commitment entail? Firstly, strengthening transparency and maintaining the financial sustainability of energy systems so as to avoid the deficits of the past being produced again; that would be the best message of confidence for all the stakeholders of our energy system, particularly for our consumers. Secondly, and in line with the policies that the European Union is designing, Spain will have to draw up a long-term plan that sets the goals in terms of renewables and energy efficiency, a plan that guarantees an efficient energy transition, and hence, strengthens growth, competitiveness and employment.

These are not easy goals or lacking in ambition. Moreover, as a country, we have seen the need to adopt smart decisions that are economically and financially sustainable in the long term.

And ambition should be tackled with a sense of responsibility: the decisions we take on the sources of generation, the incorporation of renewable energies or boosting energy efficiency, must be consistent with each other and adapted to the evolution of technology. By way of example, let me just mention the recent auction of renewable energies the government has just held: 3,000 MW of renewable power were awarded, representing a 10% increase on the previous volume but, unlike what happened a few years ago, this has been done at no additional cost to the consumer. Furthermore, in the auction the demand outstripped the amount initially offered threefold, which shows the high degree of interest from investors in our country and in the new regulatory framework established in 2014.

We must continue down this path, combining the development of the renewable energy sector with benefits for the consumer. That is why I can announce to you today that the government has begun the formalities for holding a second renewable energy auction, for another 3,000 MW, as soon as possible, to give a further boost to our strategy on this matter.

This is an example of how we should act. By acting in this way, environmental policy and energy policy will become fundamental pillars for the competitiveness of our country and hence for growth and employment.

Ladies and gentlemen,

When it comes to tackling the challenge of climate change, we have a major asset on our side, which is that this also has very extensive social backing - and I am convinced of this - with the consensus of the political groups.

It does not have to be difficult to reach an agreement. We all believe in the orderly transformation of our economy towards a low carbon economy that is competitive and resilient to climate change, and the way to guarantee this is through a stable legal framework in the long term. The government has now set this in motion, activating an inter-ministerial working group to join forces, and the government has decided to play a decisive role in this change of model.

But the fight against climate change, as I said at the start, falls to us all. We need the Spanish people to join up to this process. We all have a responsibility and we all have a lot at stake here. That is why it makes sense for the new law to be enriched by including the criteria of those who can make a contribution.

These workshops are exemplary in this regard, because they have been conceived as a qualified and representative meeting point to reflect deeply on the elements necessary to be included in the new legal framework. This participation will enjoy continuity, because in the coming weeks we will commence a public consultation process so that the new law takes on board as many proposals as are important.

Ladies and gentlemen, I will draw my speech to a close.

I will do this with a message of confidence: my confidence in the commitment from the international community and, above all, my confidence in Spain and the intention of the Spanish people to rise to this challenge.

The fight against climate change requires us all to take the high ground and, at the same time, this opens up positive opportunities for the future, because scientific knowledge not only guides us towards the measures to be adopted, but also boosts a change of model that opens up a tremendous range of possibilities regarding the creation of a sustainable and sustained economic model to the benefit of everyone.

We have the talent and the desire to convert Spain into a benchmark in the energy transition and in the fight against climate change. We will have a new legal framework to make this possible and I am convinced that we will also be able to count on the participation of everyone in order to win the great battle of our time.

We have a duty to leave a legacy to our children and a firm commitment to rise to the level of the challenge we are facing. This legislature has a future because it has content that cannot be put off. This is one issue where we will not fail, with the support of everyone, because the cause demands this and certainly merits it.

Thank you very much.