Climate change and protection of biodiversity, the challenges of Ribera

The Vice President for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, in her first appearance before the Congressional Commission, has made a broad presentation of the agenda of her portfolio with “transversal challenges” focused on climate change and biodiversity protection.

He has also dealt with issues of water management, coasts, biodiversity, invasive species, natural parks, energy and air quality.

Minister Ribera has assured that the Government of Pedro Sánchez is committed to current solutions with the aim of achieving “an energy-neutral and circular economy”.

Resilient infrastructures adapted to climate change will be developed, with an injection of productivity for the economy, the integration of accounts, and with the incorporation of technology.

Because, he added, it is necessary to look to the future, thinking about the young people who are preparing and demanding a “rudder blow” for tomorrow.

Ribera has assured that since June 2018 “we have been framing legislation to face social and economic imbalances” and avoid turning the economy into a “predatory” system.

The minister has indicated that the Government will focus its environmental policies on a “transversal agenda” focused on the decarbonization of the economy, with a just transition, and with a view to achieving energy neutrality by 2050, and a circular economy, among other issues.

For the development of these strategies, according to the vice president, the harmony of public policies and the convergence of the public and private sectors are fundamental.

His ministry will prioritize the new climate change adaptation plan in the first hundred days of government to achieve adaptation, address vulnerability, cross-border affect, industrial production chains and citizens.

To “anticipate the variability of the climate, the first thing is to understand it,” said Ribera, and for this it is necessary to “strengthen the monitoring stations, get more reliable data” and strengthen international cooperation with neighbors.

Faced with climate challenges and the intensification of phenomena, he has advocated facing problems such as drought, erosion, forest fires, water pollution, air pollution, its quality and the consequences on the health of the population, soil, plastics.

The minister added that eroded areas will be recovered, those affected by forest fires and soil dryness, with policies to control them and with forest management.

The mechanisms will also be reinforced because our forests “are a priority”, they represent an “opportunity for all and employment.

Ribera recalled that 2020 is an important year in biodiversity issues, with the celebration of the Convention of the Parties on Biodiversity scheduled for October in Kunming (China), in which the achievements of the 2011-2020 plan will be reviewed.

Spain must lead in this area to make this new conference a success and learn from the failure of Aichi, bringing the value of biodiversity closer to citizens and achieve the protection of 30% of biodiversity by 2030.

Likewise, he has given importance to setting objectives in line with UNESCO and biosphere reserves, a plan for 2030 with the conservation of natural spaces, natural parks, wetlands, to which “we have not paid enough attention”, and that due to water pollution has disappeared between 60 and 70% of wetlands.

Teresa Ribera has assured that for 2021 a new strategic plan will be presented for the recovery of wetlands such as the Mar Menor, the Albufera or Doñana.

Likewise, a boost will be given to natural and marine parks, genetic banks and seabeds will be strengthened for the protection of ocean biodiversity.

To meet the target of protecting 30% of marine biodiversity by 2030, protected areas will be increased, sea status, governance and management of marine areas will be improved with a marine areas master plan.

In the opinion of the Minister for the Economic Transition, the reform, which was made in 2013, of the Coastal Law (1987) only worsened the situation so that new regulations will be generated.

In addition, his ministry will promote the fight against plastic pollution, which annually reaches the ocean between eight and thirteen million tons, according to UN data.

In relation to the circular economy, the reduction of resource use will be enhanced and reduction, renewal and recycling will be enhanced.

Before the end of the year, Ribera has indicated that it plans to present an updated health and environmental plan to combat air pollution, noise pollution and other pollutants and for this purpose a public health surveillance network will be created.

Finally, he highlighted the mobilization of more than 241,000 million euros for the green economy.

Source: The Vanguard