Activists with Extinction Rebellion urge governments across the globle to declare a climate emergency and act on with input from citizens. (Photo: XR Madrid/Twitter)
After Spain Declares Climate Emergency, Activists Demand 'Concrete and Immediate' Action
"Now it's time to see... if there will really be major changes that take us away from the catastrophic path we find ourselves on."
Spain's new left-wing coalition government on Tuesday declared a climate emergency and promised to send ambitious legislation to the country's parliament within the next 100 days--moves that were welcomed by campaigners who responded with calls for "concrete and immediate" action plans.
Tuesday's declaration came just two weeks after the Spanish parliament voted to approve a coalition government formed by Unidas Podemos and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, following months of failed negotiations between the two parties.
The declaration also came less than a week after Barcelona declared a climate emergency and unveiled 103 measures that are collectively crafted to help Spain's second-largest city halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. As Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau put it, "This is not a drill, the house is on fire."
Colau's comment echoed those of activists worldwide pressuring all levels of government to pursue bold policies that cut emissions and combat the climate crisis. While campaigners across Spain celebrated their government's declaration, they also vowed to keep fighting for action on par with what scientists say is necessary in a rapidly warming world.
In the Spanish city Huesca, a branch of the global youth climate strike movement Fridays for Future--founded by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg--was among the groups demanding that the nation's government follow the declaration with urgent action.
"Now it's time to see... if there will really be major changes that take us away from the catastrophic path we find ourselves on," declared Extinction Rebellion (XR) Spain.
The global XR account responded to the declaration by tweeting that "we want governments to act together and start solving this #PlanetaryEmergency NOW. #DeedsNotWords #BeyondPolitics."
The XR movement has three key demands of governments: declare a climate and ecological emergency; act to halt biodiveristy loss and cut planet-heating emissions; and create and accept guidance from citizens assemblies on climate and ecological justice.
The Madrid-based Spanish-language newspaper El Pais reported Tuesday that Teresa Ribera, vice president for the ecological transition, announced that the government will establish a citizens assembly, following in the footsteps of France.
Ribera tweeted in Spanish Tuesday that the government approved the emergency declaration "for justice (between territories, between generations and between people of the same generation), for our future, for responsibility (economic, social, environmental and institutional)."
The government's climate legislation will "include mandatory low-emission zones in big cities" like those that "are already in effect in Barcelona and Madrid, as well as dozens of cities around the globe," Reuters reported Tuesday.
According to Reuters:
Speaking after a cabinet meeting of the new government, environmental minister Teresa Ribera said a bill will oblige all urban areas with a population of more than 50,000 to create low-emission zones.
[...]
The left-wing coalition also said it would introduce legislation to bring down emissions and achieve "climate neutrality" by 2050.
Although "the ambitious target is likely to put the coalition government on a collision course with the far-right Vox party," Reuters noted, it aligns with efforts pursued by other governments and the European Parliament, which declared a climate emergency in November 2019.
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just two days to go in our Spring Campaign, we're falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Spain's new left-wing coalition government on Tuesday declared a climate emergency and promised to send ambitious legislation to the country's parliament within the next 100 days--moves that were welcomed by campaigners who responded with calls for "concrete and immediate" action plans.
Tuesday's declaration came just two weeks after the Spanish parliament voted to approve a coalition government formed by Unidas Podemos and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, following months of failed negotiations between the two parties.
The declaration also came less than a week after Barcelona declared a climate emergency and unveiled 103 measures that are collectively crafted to help Spain's second-largest city halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. As Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau put it, "This is not a drill, the house is on fire."
Colau's comment echoed those of activists worldwide pressuring all levels of government to pursue bold policies that cut emissions and combat the climate crisis. While campaigners across Spain celebrated their government's declaration, they also vowed to keep fighting for action on par with what scientists say is necessary in a rapidly warming world.
In the Spanish city Huesca, a branch of the global youth climate strike movement Fridays for Future--founded by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg--was among the groups demanding that the nation's government follow the declaration with urgent action.
"Now it's time to see... if there will really be major changes that take us away from the catastrophic path we find ourselves on," declared Extinction Rebellion (XR) Spain.
The global XR account responded to the declaration by tweeting that "we want governments to act together and start solving this #PlanetaryEmergency NOW. #DeedsNotWords #BeyondPolitics."
The XR movement has three key demands of governments: declare a climate and ecological emergency; act to halt biodiveristy loss and cut planet-heating emissions; and create and accept guidance from citizens assemblies on climate and ecological justice.
The Madrid-based Spanish-language newspaper El Pais reported Tuesday that Teresa Ribera, vice president for the ecological transition, announced that the government will establish a citizens assembly, following in the footsteps of France.
Ribera tweeted in Spanish Tuesday that the government approved the emergency declaration "for justice (between territories, between generations and between people of the same generation), for our future, for responsibility (economic, social, environmental and institutional)."
The government's climate legislation will "include mandatory low-emission zones in big cities" like those that "are already in effect in Barcelona and Madrid, as well as dozens of cities around the globe," Reuters reported Tuesday.
According to Reuters:
Speaking after a cabinet meeting of the new government, environmental minister Teresa Ribera said a bill will oblige all urban areas with a population of more than 50,000 to create low-emission zones.
[...]
The left-wing coalition also said it would introduce legislation to bring down emissions and achieve "climate neutrality" by 2050.
Although "the ambitious target is likely to put the coalition government on a collision course with the far-right Vox party," Reuters noted, it aligns with efforts pursued by other governments and the European Parliament, which declared a climate emergency in November 2019.
Spain's new left-wing coalition government on Tuesday declared a climate emergency and promised to send ambitious legislation to the country's parliament within the next 100 days--moves that were welcomed by campaigners who responded with calls for "concrete and immediate" action plans.
Tuesday's declaration came just two weeks after the Spanish parliament voted to approve a coalition government formed by Unidas Podemos and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, following months of failed negotiations between the two parties.
The declaration also came less than a week after Barcelona declared a climate emergency and unveiled 103 measures that are collectively crafted to help Spain's second-largest city halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. As Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau put it, "This is not a drill, the house is on fire."
Colau's comment echoed those of activists worldwide pressuring all levels of government to pursue bold policies that cut emissions and combat the climate crisis. While campaigners across Spain celebrated their government's declaration, they also vowed to keep fighting for action on par with what scientists say is necessary in a rapidly warming world.
In the Spanish city Huesca, a branch of the global youth climate strike movement Fridays for Future--founded by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg--was among the groups demanding that the nation's government follow the declaration with urgent action.
"Now it's time to see... if there will really be major changes that take us away from the catastrophic path we find ourselves on," declared Extinction Rebellion (XR) Spain.
The global XR account responded to the declaration by tweeting that "we want governments to act together and start solving this #PlanetaryEmergency NOW. #DeedsNotWords #BeyondPolitics."
The XR movement has three key demands of governments: declare a climate and ecological emergency; act to halt biodiveristy loss and cut planet-heating emissions; and create and accept guidance from citizens assemblies on climate and ecological justice.
The Madrid-based Spanish-language newspaper El Pais reported Tuesday that Teresa Ribera, vice president for the ecological transition, announced that the government will establish a citizens assembly, following in the footsteps of France.
Ribera tweeted in Spanish Tuesday that the government approved the emergency declaration "for justice (between territories, between generations and between people of the same generation), for our future, for responsibility (economic, social, environmental and institutional)."
The government's climate legislation will "include mandatory low-emission zones in big cities" like those that "are already in effect in Barcelona and Madrid, as well as dozens of cities around the globe," Reuters reported Tuesday.
According to Reuters:
Speaking after a cabinet meeting of the new government, environmental minister Teresa Ribera said a bill will oblige all urban areas with a population of more than 50,000 to create low-emission zones.
[...]
The left-wing coalition also said it would introduce legislation to bring down emissions and achieve "climate neutrality" by 2050.
Although "the ambitious target is likely to put the coalition government on a collision course with the far-right Vox party," Reuters noted, it aligns with efforts pursued by other governments and the European Parliament, which declared a climate emergency in November 2019.