Laurence Dollimore
SPAIN has admitted it must do more to reduce emissions.
Speaking at a conference this month, Secretary for the environment, Maria Garcia, called for Spain to ‘almost triple’ its efforts to meet its target.
Garcia expects Spain to meet its target of reducing emissions by 26% before 2030, but said Spain must do more.
He then outlined government plans to implement this, including the introduction of a National Energy and Climate Plan, a future law on Climate Change and Energy transition, and a second green recruitment plan.
Maria Garcia did not announce, how Spain may reduce emissions. Instead she announced two plans and one law. Paper will not be able to stop climate change. The common way of handling problems in Spain: write a paper, but DO nothing.
Perhaps this attitude will change, when Spain becomes so hot that paper burns by climate?
The above sentiments by the Spanish Government will never get implemented as the relationship between Senior Politicians and State owned or Parastatal utility companies is umbilical in attachments. Senior Politicians are hopeful of lucrative Directorships of Utility companies with big Pay Packets, and thus protect the interests of large energy corporations. They are umbilical in their relationships and will never allow the monopolistic situation (i.e. high energy prices) to change. For a country with little natural resources and with Andalucia, for example, having a guaranteed 300 plus days of sunshine a year this is crazy. If an individual installs photo voltaic panels and other methods of sustainable energy, and does not inform the local/regional government of the development, punitive prohibitive fines can be implemented. Further the local state has the legal right to enter your property without a warrant to inspect your ‘energy sources’ if they suspect you are generating your own power. Further, solar panel generated energy, for example, has to be plugged into the state system and you are taxed on this. Crazy, Crazy and Crazy! Most alternative/alternative/sustainable installers and consultants on sustainable energy in Spain now only work overseas in Latin America, Africa, Asia or other parts of Europe as other is no work for them in Spain due to the above policies. An Alice in Wonderland surreal world indeed!