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Basque Country

Population: 2.141million (2006)
GHG Emissions:  25.3 MtCO2e (2007)

Targets and Goals

  • Limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to no more than 14% above Kyoto base year levels.
  • Increase the removal capability of carbon sinks to 1% of Kyoto base year emissions.

Top Actions

Energy Efficiency

  • Industrial sectors are involved in energy efficiency improvements with the objective to reduce the energy intensity of European Emission Trading Scheme (EU-ETS)-covered industries by 13.5% and by 6% for non-covered industries. This will result in a 0.34 MtCO2e emissions reduction (2010 as 2008-2012 average). The main actions are to:
    • Foster the effective implementation of the technologies on the Basque List of Clean Technologies;
    • Facilitate the implementation of the Eco Design for Energy-using Products Directive and have 50% of Basque companies that make products affected by the Directive certified under the UNE 150301 eco-design standard;
    • Encourage the use of alternative fuels in industrial processes; and
    • Create and operate a system to allow the registration and reduction of GHG emissions from industry.
  • Residential and commercial sectors aim to decrease their energy intensity by 4% by 2012. An estimated 0.16 tonnes per year of GHG emissions will be reduced over the 2008-2012 period. Actions include to:
    • Promote and implement the Technical Building Code
    • Implement a certification scheme for housing
    • Provide subsidies for the replacement of domestic appliances
    • Promote voluntary agreements for low emissions buildings
  • The Basque Region promotes the installation of combined heat and power generation, with the goal of having 600 MW of installed power by 2012. This would result in an estimated 0.08 MtCO2e emissions reduction (annually over the 2008-2012 period).
  • The Basque Region is developing combined cycle gas production (CCGP) in order to achieve 95% CCGP in total thermoelectric production by 2012. This will result in a 1.1 MtCO2e emissions reduction annually over the 2008-2012 period.

Renewable Energy

  • Target to increase renewable energy consumption to 12% by 2010 and 15% of electricity demand.
  • The Basque Region is developing a renewable portfolio standard which aims to produce 3,750 GWh/year of renewable energy by 2012. These developments will achieve a 1.06 MtCO2e emissions reduction. The plan is to develop regional wind power and biomass potential as well as strengthen support for renewable energy sources such as hydroelectric power and solar electricity generation. The region is also developing the potential of new technologies involving renewables (offshore wind farms, geothermal energy, etc.) and fostering renewables for generating energy in buildings (solar heating panels, heat accumulation systems, etc.).
  • The Basque Region also aims to integrate 12% of biofuels in total fuel consumption by 2012. It is estimated this could help reduce 0.53 Mt of CO2e emissions.
  • The Region plans to have all thermal electricity generated by combined cycle natural gas plants.

Clean Transport

  • The Basque Region is aiming for a 21% energy efficiency improvement in the transportation sector by 2012. The greenhouse gas emissions reductions are estimated to be 0.3 MtCO2e annually over the 2008-2012 period. Main actions include to:
    • Create infrastructure for the use of public transport (tramway/metro networks, extension of public transport lines, Eusko Car Sharing)
    • Issue land use planning directives whose criteria encourage concentrated, resource-diverse urban planning models less dependent on the use of transport for mobility and territorial balance between residential uses and economic activities as a factor for reducing mobility and thus reducing emissions.
    • Encourage traffic charges in cities via prior agreements with interested municipal councils.

Sustainable Land Use

  • The Region plans to increase the removal capability of carbon sinks to 1% of Kyoto base year emissions. Main actions include to:
    • Promote afforestation actions to create a further 2000ha of woodland by 2012
    • Promote construction based on greater use of renewable materials such as wood
    • Improve fire prevention programmes
    • Draw up a new range of subsidies for actions to increase carbon sequestration

Waste Management

  • The Region plans to decrease urban waste sent to the landfill by 40% by 2012. This will result in a 0.48 MtCO2e emissions reduction annually over the 2008-2012 period.
  • The construction of three slurry treatment plants will result in a 0.12 MtCO2e emissions reduction.

Contact Information

Marian Barquin
IHOBE
marian.barquin@ihobe.net

Carlos Castillo
IHOBE
carlos.castillo@ihobe.net

 

Key links

Basque Plan against Climate Change

Department of Environmental and Regional Planning

IHOBE