For many, the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement on December 12, 2015 was a historic turning point in the climate struggle. However, five years later the world is still far from the essential decarbonization of the economy and the drastic reduction of emissions required by the Paris Agreement.
Demanding more climate ambition from the national government, Spanish Green Party EQUO has warned that Spain is still “very far” from complying with the ground-breaking international accord, which was adopted by 196 Parties at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) celebrated five years ago in Paris, and remains the most remarkable legally binding international treaty on climate change (https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement).
On a much brighter note, the Spanish Greens noted that the European Parliament, owing largely to the great work of the European Greens, recently voted for a reduction of at least 60% of CO2 emissions by 2030 – a development that is considered as a huge win for the Green force in Europe.
Moreover, as emphasized by EQUO, Donald Trump’s defeat in the context of last November’s US Presidential Elections effectively re-opened the door to the Paris Agreement for the North American country – this, undoubtedly, constitutes another highly encouraging prospect, which the Spanish Greens cited as a sort of silver lining in the global struggle against climate change.
Reflecting on the weight of such hopeful prospects, in a press release EQUO concluded that “in order to avoid the worst effects of the climate pandemic”, Spain needs to do much more on its part to keep rising temperatures at bay and prevent them from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Back in Spain, EQUO co-spokesman Florent Marcellesi considers that, although the present coalition government is doing more than its predecessors, the goal announced in the Climate Change Bill is “clearly insufficient” (https://partidoequo.es/espana-esta-lejos-del-acuerdo-paris/).
“The spanish Government proposes to reduce emissions by only 23% in 2030 – Far from what is required by science, the European Parliament and the youth”.
– EQUO co-spokesman Florent Marcellesi
For her part, Inés Sabanés, co-spokeswoman of EQUO and a deputy in Congress, regrets the lack of ambition of the incumbent government, but states that “we are in time to amend this serious shortcoming”. She continued to explain that, in line with the need to amend this worrying situation, in Congress, EQUO and Más País have presented a proposal to align the country with science and climate justice, in which the two Parties ask for a 55% reduction of emissions by 2030.
Urging the incumbent government in Spain to do more, the two EQUO spokespersons highlighted the need for Spain to grow its climate ambition.
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