Emission Reduction Targets by 2030 in Spain: Will it be Possible to Meet Them?

The government of Spain declared they want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly by 2030. Within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and its commitments to the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Climate Agreement, Spain hopes to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared to its levels in 1990.

Emission Reductions up to 2030

Between 2008 and 2012, Spain successfully limited its emissions levels by 15% compared to 1990. The entire European Union, in keeping with its Kyoto Protocol commitments, attempted to reduce its emissions by 20% between 2013 and 2020 compared to 1990. Reducing Europe’s carbon footprint was focused during this time on the most intensive sectors in terms of use of energy, and a 10% reduction in community emissions compared to 2005.

The goals for emission reduction up to 2030 are to:

• Reduce emissions by 55% compared to 1990 across the EU
• Convert 32% of all energy consumption to renewable energies
• An indicative target of 32.5% improvement in energy efficiency
• 15% electricity interconnection

Strategies to Reduce Emissions

Reducing emissions is of course easier said than done. Ten strategies Spain and the EU are using to achieve their emissions goals include:

1. Raising awareness of the impact of CO2 emissions
2. Reducing private car use
3. Practicing sustainable mobility, such as improved public transportation and electric vehicles
4. Increasing energy efficiency
5. Consuming renewable energy
6. Following a diet with a low carbon footprint, which could include reducing the amount of meat we eat
7. Becoming sustainable consumers
8. Planting trees- Trees absorb carbon dioxide
9. Committing to zero kilometer- This is in reference to the ‘zero kilometer’ movement, meant to reduce how much we have to travel or have products travel to us in order to work, eat, and live.
10. Demand more institutional involvement in the fight against climate change

If these strategies are implemented and the goals met, we can look forward to a severe reduction in greenhouse gasses in our lifetime.