T.C. | Yesterday, the DECARBONISATION 2021 reports was presented. This includes data on the evolution of emissions in the sectors of the emissions market (energy, cement, aviation, refining, chemical, etc.) at European, Spanish and Autonomous Community level. (The emissions market accounts for around 40% of total emissions).
According to data from the Sustainability Observatory, Spain reduced its emissions in the carbon market by 21% in 2020 (13% in 2019) in a year marked by the Covid19 pandemic. The emissions of all the major companies fell, albeit with very notable differences between them: ENDESA decreases by 45%, FCC, EDP or IBERDROLA by around 25%, while the oil companies REPSOL and CEPSA or the gas company NATURGY have presented smaller declines. The fuel combustion sector has decreased by a historic 26% between 2020 and 2019 while the oil companies, for example, have only fallen by 8%.
Fernando Prieto of the Observatorio de Sostenibilidad points out that in 2020 the “sorpasso” of the oil companies has already materialised in comparison with the energy companies, which are still decarbonising in a significant way. That said, gas consumption will be the workhorse in the coming years. It should also be noted that the airline market has plummeted by 65% and that decoupling is taking place, as GDP has fallen by 10% compared to a 20% fall in emissions, an historic figure for Spain.
According to the Observatory, with respect to total emissions, other countries began their path towards decarbonisation before Spain and with more convincing results: between 1990 and 2018 the United Kingdom gradually reduced its emissions by 41.7%; Germany by 31.9%, the EU by 25.1%, Belgium by 19%, France by 18.9%, Italy by 17.2% and the Netherlands by 15.1%. Meanwhile, Spain increased its emissions by 15.5%.
As these countries have already been moving towards decarbonisation for decades, Spain will now have to take these strong measures in much less time. In emissions from the emissions market (40% of total emissions) Spain presents reduction values of 43% in 2008-2020.
