Madrid – Secretary of State for the Environment, Hugo Morán, has stated that Spain will advocate at the Environment Council on November 4 for the preservation of the “roadmap” towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050—a target outlined in the European Green Deal and the European Climate Law—along with the milestones set for 2035 and 2040.
“If we deviate from that roadmap, we will be the first to suffer,” he emphasized during his address at the event ‘Horizon COP30. Global push for a green, circular, and competitive economy’ organized by Ecoembes.
This Council represents the final opportunity for the European Union (EU) to establish an emission reduction target for 2040, which will allow for the presentation of the 2035 target ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2025, commencing officially in Belém (Brazil) on the 10th, following the Leaders’ Summit on the 6th and 7th.
Up to this point, Brussels remains one of the signatories of the Paris Agreement yet has yet to announce a 2035 target, despite multiple extensions offered by the Summit organizers. In this context, Morán highlighted that Spain will enter Belém advocating for adherence to the Paris Agreement and the continuation of the roadmap established since 2015, the year the international accord was signed.
Overall, he pointed out that Eurostat data indicates that a significant majority of Europeans (70%) and Spaniards (80%) demand “decisive” action from their governments to combat climate change and questioned “how is it possible” that leaders are straying from this public demand. Hence, he criticized the EU for entering a “crazy dynamic of review,” particularly concerning climate regulations.
The EU Risks Exclusion
“We have been a region capable of aligning the expansion of rights with economic growth. If we must sacrifice the former to compete, I fear we will be excluded from the game board,” he cautioned.
Furthermore, he expressed regret that some nations seem to thrive “more comfortably in the realms of imperialism” and urged the need to “preserve multilateralism.” In conclusion, he supported the State Pact Against the Climate Emergency. “It is crucial for Spain to convey in the forums we engage in that there is a significant social movement demanding action. For this to occur, it is essential to have information regarding current events and the costs of inaction,” he stated. (October 30)
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