Pedro Sánchez calls for unity to 'forge a State Pact to address the Climate Emergency,' which is 'to forge a Pact for Spain'

The President of the Government of Spain stresses that the IMF joins other organisations "that applaud the economic strength of Spain," which "has become the driving force of economic growth and job creation throughout Europe."

City of Energy Foundation, Ponferrada (León)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, speaks at the Convention for a State Pact on the Climate Emergency (Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has called for unity in order to "forge a State Pact to address the Climate Emergency", which "is to forge a Pact for Spain". In his speech at the Convention for a State Pact on the Climate Emergency, which is being held in Ponferrada, Sánchez called for "making this State Pact a new example of unity, as we did with terrorism, pensions and gender violence".

"Spain is today at the forefront in the fight against climate change", he said, because "we chose to face this challenge head on, out of responsibility", but also "because we were able to see the ecological transition as an opportunity". The head of the Executive, who was accompanied by the Third Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen Muñoz, and the government delegate in Castilla y León, Nicanor Sen, pointed out that the priority is to tackle the climate emergency with a state vision and a long-term perspective.

"Tackling the climate emergency is about survival", because "climate change kills", as happened a year ago in the DANA in Valencia, but "it also impoverishes" because it increases inequality.

Appeal to administrations

The President of the Government of Spain addressed all the public administrations of our country, autonomous communities, provincial councils, town councils and municipalities, as well as all the political forces, "especially the PP", with an "outstretched hand" to regional presidents, mayors and public officials.

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, along with Third Vice-President and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagensen, at the Convention for a State Pact to Address the Climate Emergency| Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

"The verdict of science is resounding, it is not possible to turn a blind eye and look the other way", demanded Sánchez, who recalled that "the Government of Spain has not done so and never will".

He reaffirmed that "in the face of the effects of climate change, anticipation is essential, because not only mitigation, but also early adaptation is less costly and more effective than doing so reactively when impacts occur."

A government that acts

"That is why we declared a climate emergency in 2020, promoted the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan or the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change, and also the first Climate Change and Energy Transition Law", the President of the Government of Spain explained. "And that is why we are allocating four out of every ten euros of the Recovery Plan to ecological transition and climate change mitigation," he added.

In addition, since 2017, the government has increased public investment in ecological transition, exceeding €30 billion. Today Spain is a world power in renewables, the fourth most sustainable large economy on the planet.

Citizen support for the State Pact

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the Third Vice-President and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagensen, with members of the Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigades| Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

"To those who ignore the mandate out of pure sectarianism, I ask them to listen to the clamour of the Spanish people", said the President of the Government of Spain, referring to the public's support for the State Pact as reflected in the opinion polls.

Almost 90% of citizens consider climate change to be a serious problem and three out of four Spaniards are calling for a State Pact on the climate emergency. Nine out of ten also believe that we need to strengthen human and material resources to deal with fires and disasters.

Spain is the driving force of economic growth and job creation throughout Europe

Sánchez used his speech to highlight that the IMF joins other organisations that "applaud the economic strength of Spain", which "has become the driving force of economic growth and job creation throughout Europe". In this regard, he stressed that the most important thing is that "we do it not by exploiting workers, nor by burning fossil fuels, but by creating more and better jobs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the price of electricity by 50% thanks to the promotion of renewable energies".

"We are growing three times faster than the European average, we are breaking employment records, real wages have risen 6% above inflation in the last five years, and poverty and inequality are at historic lows. This time there is no trap and no bubble: what we have are good policies and that is a success for the country," he concluded.

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• Government of Spain
• Climate change
• Sustainability
• Economy
• Employment