Spain will switch to 100% renewable energy by 2050

Spain has announced plans to switch to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050.

In a new move to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and comply with the new IPCC report, Spain have implemented measures to ensure they will run on 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050.

The country will install at least 3,000 megawatts of wind and solar power capacity every year for the next ten years. This will result in greenhouse gas emissions being cut by 90 per cent compared to 1990 levels by the middle of the century.

Spain will go beyond the present European Union target of 32 per cent renewable energy by 2030, they aim to reach 35 per cent, with at least 70 per cent renewable electricity.

Christiana Figueres, former UN climate chief, said: "This comes at an important moment ahead of COP24 where countries are invited to showcase how they meet the goals of the Agreement.”

The announcement also included plans to shut down existing coal mines. However, the Spanish Government has said that ‘no one will be left behind’ in this transition.

The newly appointed Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, has also announced plans to put a ban on petrol and diesel sales in 2040. In doing so, Spain will join the UK and France who have also committed to stop sales by 2040.

 

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