The president of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, emphasized today that the Galician community is at the forefront of the fight against climate change and that the Xunta guarantees the balance between environmental protection and economic activity through the first Climate Law of Galicia -already in process- and the Law on integrated coastal planning and management, approved last July.
During his speech at the II Observatory of the Sustainable Development Goals, organized in Madrid, Rueda assured that climate change is one of the main challenges facing the planet because of what it means at the social level, economy, and health. He appealed for the collaboration of society as a whole – citizens, companies, and administrations – to move towards a more sustainable future and assured that it is possible to achieve it without stopping the development of the economy.
As an example, the head of the Xunta promoted the new Law of integrated coastal planning and management, whose main objective is to guarantee the perfect balance between the conservation of the coast and the socioeconomic activities that exist in the maritime territory. In addition, the regulations offer legal guarantees to 4,000 buildings – companies, houses, health centers, or educational centers – that are on the coast of Galicia and that put the current state law at risk. In this regard, the president emphasized continuity as the responsibility of all departments of Galician autonomy.
Galicia, leading the fight against climate change
In his participation in this forum on sustainability, Rueda highlighted the work carried out over the years in favor of a greener and more sustainable community that puts Galicia at the forefront of the fight against climate change.
Along these lines, he emphasized that Galicia has the first Climate Law to strengthen all the measures adopted so far. The purpose is to protect by law the fight against climate change to establish that all the measures adopted by the autonomous Administration take into account its footprint on the environment to choose the most sustainable path as well as to provide legal status of one of the Xunta’s commitments: achieve climate neutrality in Galicia. Rueda assured that this Law would put “black on white” and warned that “there is no excuse for non-compliance.”
It should be noted that the draft Climate Law was opened to public information this summer and all proposals and allegations presented to improve the document are currently being reviewed.
The upcoming regulations are part of the roadmap followed by the regional government for years in favor of protecting the environment and moving towards a more sustainable Galicia as the Galician Climate Alliance to which 77 organizations belong – including companies, universities or entities -, the Pact of Mayors for Climate and Energy – with which 91% of the city councils of Galicia (285) are already followed -, the new Sergas Circular Economy Strategy, the promotion of sustainable mobility – with pathways to pedestrians and discounts on public transport – or support for the business community during the double digital and energy transition it is going through.
Rueda emphasized the importance of setting goals “with meaning”, to discuss planning “for the future” and “trying to correct mistakes” in this regard. The president spoke about Galicia’s development with renewable energy, placing the Galician community as an example of a reference to a “green future.” In this regard, he emphasized the fact that 70% of the energy used in Galicia already comes from renewable energy and we want to “continue.”
In closing, the head of the Xunta focused on the development of infrastructure and mobility and emphasized that “everything possible” will be done to ensure that the railway service is “a structure for the future.” In the field of tourism, he emphasized Galicia’s commitment to respect the environment and to conserve and protect areas that have not been populated by humans. Finally, in the face of all these challenges, he expressed hope that we are “facing a slow, but unstoppable process.”
