SPAIN – EMISSIONS OF GREENHOUSE GASES ON THE RISE

A recent report of the European Environment Agency (EEA) remarks that while the emissions of the EU-27 fell by an average of some 2.5% between 2010 and 2011, they rose in several countries such as Spain, up 0.1 percent, causing the previous downwards trend to reverse. Spain may be unable to meet its 2020 Kioto targets and the government is proceeding with a CO2 international acquisition program of emission rights, as the only short term solution. Lot of room for business in this area.

The Spanish rise occurs in spite of the current profound crisis. Already at the end of 2011, sources from Red Eléctrica Española indicated that coal based production of electricity rose by 96% in 2011 based upon the Royal Decree of aid to the mining industry. Every kW generated with this fuel emits almost three times than one produced with natural gas.