This May, the Basque Government Council approved the draft Law on Energy Transition and Climate Change in the Basque Autonomous Community. This law, the first on climate change in the Basque Autonomous Community, establishes a stable legal framework to accelerate decarbonisation through co-responsibility.
The law, the first to address climate change in the region, reaches the whole of society, establishing a stable legal framework to accelerate decarbonisation through co-responsibility. This requires a fair and sustainable transition that reaches the entire population and guarantees equity and solidarity, focusing on the most vulnerable economic sectors, territories and population, taking into account perspectives of gender, age or functional diversity.
This bill provides for a number of actions, including:
1- Energy efficiency and renewables obligations for businesses, households, administration and other consumers.
2- Promotion of renewable energy sources by public administrations.
3- Promotion of projects related to energy storage.
4- Initiatives to encourage CO2 capture and storage.
5- Sustainable mobility plans.
6- Specific sectoral and territorial policies.
In addition, the approved project envisages different initiatives:
1- Basque Registry of Energy Transition and Climate Change Initiatives, where public or private entities will register their actions in climate action.
2- Climate and energy plans that will contribute to the objectives of the territory as a whole.
3- Creation of an Energy Transition and Climate Change Office.
4- Citizen participation bodies: Social Pact for Energy Transition and Climate Change, Basque Energy and Climate Transition Citizens’ Assembly, Energy Transition and Climate Change Commissions and similar bodies.
5- Incorporate the energy and climate perspective in public budgets.
