Spain has made considerable efforts in strengthening political support for sustainable
development.
The Spanish National Strategy for Sustainable Development
(http://www.mma.es/secciones/el_ministerio/pdf/EEDS_ingles.pdf) was approved by
Ministry Council on 23 November 2007. The Strategy was prepared by an Inter-ministerial
Group of the Representative Commission of the Government for Economic Matters. To obtain
an independent evaluation of the same the Representative Commission of the Government
for Economic Matters would ordered the State Agency of Evaluation of Public Policies and
Service Quality and to the Observatory on Sustainability in Spain to assess the degree of
application and success of some concrete policies contained in the SSDS.
This strategy focuses on the environmental, social and global dimension of sustainability, and
approaches the high-priority areas defined in the European Strategy according to the three
dimensions mentioned. It also proposes the development of a set of indicators as a primary
goal of the strategy.
An Advisory Council for the Environment (CAMA) was set up in 1994 for the preservation of
natural heritage and biodiversity, as an organ of public participation in conservation and
sustainable use of natural resources. It aims at participating and following up the general
policies related to environment and sustainable development. The CAMA is the advisory
council not only to the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, but also to
the whole Government in any issue related to environment and sustainable development.
The Council proposes any necessary measure for the better implementation of international
agreements on environment and sustainable development matters, assess the
implementation of any legislation and programmes in place, and proposing the necessary
modifications. http://www.mma.es/portal/secciones/el_ministerio/organismos/cama/
Gender equality is a cross-cutting issue integrated in the Spanish National Strategy for
Sustainable Development. This dimension is recognized in the Organic Act 3/2007 of 22
March for effective equality between women and men which states that the principle of equal
treatment and opportunities for women and men will cross-cutting inform the action taken by
all public authorities. The central, regional and local governments will actively mainstream
the principle in the adoption and implementation of their legislative provisions, definition and
budgeting in all areas of public policy and performance of all their activities as a whole.
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The internal administrative arrangements for the evaluation of the strategy are currently
underway.
The following key measures have been introduced at the Spanish level in support of
sustainable development:
A. Environmental sustainability
? Production and consumption. The main objective of this area is the decoupling of
economic growth and pollution. The boosting factors of this decoupling are, on the
one hand, the prevention of unnecessary consumption, and, on the other hand, the
efficiency in resource consumption, which really means to produce more wealth with
less. Measures are being implemented in the following fields of work:
- Resource- use efficiency, regarding energy, natural resources and raw materials
consumption: in all sectors, with special emphasis on the transport, industry and
construction sectors.
- Sustainable consumption: education and awareness raising.
? Climate change. Climate change represents a threat to sustainable development.
During his investiture speech, the Spanish President put climate change at the top of
the agenda. The Central Government, Autonomous Communities and Local
Authorities have developed an increasing number of strategies, policies and
measures to tackle this phenomenon during the past few years. Further information
relating to this issue can be found in the Fifth Spanish Communication under the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change:
http://www.mma.es/secciones/cambio_climatico/documentacion_cc/divulgacion/pdf/
5cn.pdf
? Conservation and management of natural resources and land occupation:
Land and the natural and cultural heritage constitute the basic support on which life
is developed, and its sustainability is clearly conditioned by the way in which the
economic and social activity are carried out. For purposes of ensuring sustainability,
one of the priorities of the Government is to have an efficient management of the
natural capital from the different sector policies, and to make the processes of
territorial transformation increase the value of the natural and cultural heritage,
avoiding that the pressure on the latter surpasses their regeneration capacity, by
establishing minimum management requisites for operations and promoting
environmentally respectful practices and sustainable urban planning. Among the
natural resources with overexploitation problems and potential exhaustion in Spain,
we can find hydric resources, biodiversity and especially, forests and land.
B. Social sustainability
? Employment, social cohesion and poverty: Unemployment is one of the biggest
concerns in our country and lowering the unemployment rate is currently thus one of
the main goals for the Spanish Government. In this context, the Spanish
Government approved the Spanish Plan to Boost the Economy and Employment
(Plan E), which introduced direct job creation measures, among which we can
mention the Fund for Local Entities and the Special Fund for Employment and
Economic Reactivation. Previously, in 2004, the Declaration for Social Dialogue
was signed in 2004 between the government and social interlocutors. This
Declaration established the Agreement on Competitiveness, Stable Employment
and Social Cohesion. Since then, more than fifteen agreements have been signed
with social agents, including, most notably, agreements on the development of the
Immigration Law, the extension of collective labour agreements, occupational health
and safety and the promotion of the National System for Dependent People.
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? Cooperation for development is working in favour of sustainable development
through poverty eradication. That is why; the Spanish development system has
elaborated strategies focused on sustainability and poverty. The Fight against Hunger
Strategy Paper and the Environment and Sustainable Development Strategy Paper
could be two examples.
? Public health and dependence: The Spanish National Health System, like
health systems in neighbouring developed countries, faces the challenge of having to
improve the quality of services offered to citizens without undermining the
sustainability of the existing health care model. The ageing of the population, which
is having a strong impact on the way treatment is provided and on the consumption
of health services, coupled with the appearance of new diagnostic and treatment
technologies and greater citizen health care demands, account for the signify cant
rise in spending. This has necessitated the introduction of policies for improving
health care efficiency and effectiveness. Furthermore, the National System to
Promote Autonomy and Care for Dependant People aims to resolve problems
relating to equality and the recognition of the rights of all citizens, both care
receivers and care providers, to mitigate the consequences of dependency.
? Education for Sustainable Development. Spain clearly supports and encourages
the presence of Education and training as indispensable tools for achieving a more
sustainable Europe and world.
? Gender equality: According to Spanish National Strategy for Sustainable
Development, the fight against poverty and social exclusion progress must be made
in the effective equality of women and men, to increase the rate of women in the
labour force and to eliminate labour discrimination.
? Promotion of the Human Development the Spanish Ministry for Science and
Innovation promotes, and has promoted especially during the last Spanish European
Presidency, the role of the science and the innovation at the European response for
global challenges. So, the Science against Poverty challenge is one of the main
initiatives of the Strategy towards an intelligence, sustainable and integrator growth.
C. Global sustainability
Spain understands that global sustainability has to be attained considering the concept in its
broadest sense. Therefore, all parts of the Spanish Administration are strongly involved in
this process.
Internationally, Spain?s policy on development is not an exception. Eradicating poverty and
promoting human and sustainable development ranks the first in the list of primary goals of
Spanish cooperation for development. The Master Plan for the Spanish Cooperation
2009-2012 identifies the environmental sustainability as a priority, both cross-cutting and
sector. Moreover, the Master Plan sets the bases for a common policy for Sustainable Human
Development. In that sense, the approach includes a human capacities-based approach, a
rights-based approach (presents and future rights), a participative approach and
empowerment, a gender in development approach, development effectiveness, and
endogenous development.
Furthermore, the Environment and Sustainable Development Strategy for Spanish
Development Cooperation is the main planning document that explains this priority. This
Strategy is a core element in order to attain a sustainable environmental, social and
economic development in our partner countries.
(http://www.maec.es/es/MenuPpal/CooperacionInternacional/Publicacionesydocumentacion/
Documents/DES%20Medio%20Ambiente%20RE%20ingl%C3%A9s.pdf)
Regarding Gender Equality, Organic Act 3/2007 for effective equality between women and
men established that the endeavours geared to developing rural areas will include measures
designed to enhance women?s educational level, training and employability, inclusion in
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companies? and associations? management bodies, access to information and communication
technologies and services to enable men and women to reconcile working, family and
personal life. Similarly, urban and land management policies will take account of the gender
perspective.
The Act lends special attention to the domain of labour relations and addresses the duty to
negotiate equality plans in companies as well as recognizes the right to reconcile personal,
family and working life.
In all the development cooperation policies the principle of equality between women and men
will behave a cross-sectional and specific priority status, according with Organic Act 3/2007.
D. Urban sustainable development
The Spanish legislative Royal Decree 2/2008, 20th June 2008, approving the Redrafted Text
on the Land Act explains that the History of contemporary Spanish urban planning tends to
development, focusing above all on the creation of new city. Of course, urban growth is still
necessary but nowadays it seems also clear that it has to meet sustainable development
requirements, minimising the impact of that growth and supporting the regeneration of the
existent cities. The European Union is clearly insisting on this as for instance through the
European Territorial Strategy or, more recently, through the Commission?s Communication
on a Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment. With this aim, the EU proposes a model
of compact city and warns about the serious consequences of urban sprawl: environmental
impact, social segregation and economic inefficiency, owing to the high cost of energy,
building, maintenance of infrastructures and public services. Land is not only an economic
resource but also a natural, scarce, non-renewable one.
In agreement with it, article 2 demands that in virtue of the principle of sustainable
development, the Public policies related to land?s regulation, planning, occupancy and
transformation, must promote the rational use of natural resources, harmonising the
requirements of economy, employment, social cohesion, equal treatment and opportunities
for men and women, health, people?s security and environmental protection, contributing to
reducing pollution and promoting.
Finally, article 10 gathers as basic criteria of land use only it is allowed to the regional
and urban planning make possible the transformation of the farmland when it is necessary in
order to meet the needs which may so justify it, preventing in addition, the speculation.
Another key measure in support on sustainable development was the setting up of the
Observatory on Sustainability in Spain (OSE). OSE is an independent organization that
was set up in 2005 as the result of a collaboration agreement between the Spanish Ministry
of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, the Biodiversity Foundation (Fundación
Biodiversidad) and Alcalá University?s General Foundation.
The OSE?s mission is to stimulate social change towards sustainability by providing the best
available information for decision-making and public participation. It publishes:
1. An annual indicator-based report on sustainability in Spain
2. Sectorial and thematic reports on different aspects of sustainability
Last report on Sustainability in Spain (2009) can be found at:
http://www.sostenibilidades.
org/sites/default/files/_Informes/anuales/2009/sostenibilidad_2009-esp.pdf
E. Regional and local levels
On national grounds, the reference of the Spanish National Strategy for Sustainable
Development elaborated thanks to consensus among all the parts involved in sustainability.
In addition to the national strategy, Autonomous Communities have promoted regional
strategies linked to Regional Sustainable Development and are currently leading and
coordinating Local Agenda 21 processes.

One of the identifying traits of the political scene in Spain is currently the fight against
climate change (see information above).
Spain is a prominent user of renewable energy and has made significant progress in the
wind and solar thermal and photovoltaic energy fields in recent years. The Spanish
government's focus on renewable energy sources is also intended to reduce Spain's
dependence on oil imports and to further efforts to fulfil the country's Kyoto Protocol
commitments. Furthermore, in terms of job creation, renewable energy is a generally
favourable field and has been particularly so in Spain in recent years.
In the Energy sector, Spain has implemented a number of measures around three axes:
- the prevision on the evolution of energy demand
- the increase in the participation of renewable energies and
- R&D&I programmes in clean energy technologies.
Spain has an international leadership in solar and wind energy, with about 50 public or
private centers developing its R+D activity and a Solar Platform in Almería, managed by the
CIEMAT (Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology), which is the mayor
solar energy platform in all Europe.
Spain has also important research centers in Biomass, capture and geological storage of
CO2, energetic efficiency and supercomputing.
Furthermore, the water policy pursued by the Ministry of the Environment, and Rural and
Marine Affairs is underpinned by the principles of protection and recovery of water bodies
(quality and quantity), main objectives of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
An integrated system of water resources management is currently in place, based on
recovery and environmental management, the increase of efficiency in water use , and
specific extreme event management Plans (droughts and floods).
New river basin Plans will be shortly published. Those Plans are in line with the objectives of
the WFD, in which surface, coastal, transitional and ground water are jointly managed,
taking into account social, environment and economic conditions.
Finally, national political commitment to the biodiversity conservation is also remarkable.
In terms of biodiversity, the habitat richness and singularity gives Spain a distinct place in
the European and world context. There is, in addition, a high specific diversity as a result of
the great climate, litologic and topographic heterogeneity of Spain, as well as of its
geographic position between two continents and of his comparatively low population density.
Nevertheless, this wealth is accompanied of net losses with serious consequences, both at
the genetic level, and at that of species, ecosystems and landscapes, partly due to the more
and more frequent droughts, floods, fires and increase of average temperatures, as well as
to the pressures of economic development themselves.
In order to mitigate these effects, the Strategic Plan drawn up under the Convention on
Biological Diversity established the goal of achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the
current rate of biodiversity loss at global, national and regional levels.
In Spain, implementation of the Strategic Plan has resulted in adoption of measures
designed to achieve this aim. Law 42/2007, of 13 December, on natural heritage and
biodiversity, includes new instruments for dealing with biodiversity loss. It also incorporates
lines of work based on the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and other
international commitments. Among these instruments, two of the most significant are the
Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Inventory and the National Strategic Plan for
Natural Heritage and Biodiversity (PEEPNB).
In the area of urban sustainable development on 22 June 2010, in Toledo, in response
to the invitation made by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU),
and within the framework of the Informal Ministerial Meeting on Housing and Urban
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Development (21?22 June), was signed by all the Ministers of the members states of the EU
by responsibilities as for urban development, the Toledo Reference Document on integrated
urban regeneration and its strategic potential for a smarter, more sustainable and socially
inclusive urban development in Europe.
Other remarkable strategies, plans and investments are the following:
- Management of Protected areas: In 2009, Spain had 1,519 protected areas covering
an overall area (terrestrial and marine) of 6,174,788 ha ? 11.7% of the country's total
territory.
- Management of Natura 2000 network: 27.65% of the country?s area was protected
in 2009. It should be noted that some of the area designated as PA also forms part of the
Natura 2000 network and that, consequently, adding the two totals together does not
equal the total area protected by both.
- Threatened species conservation strategies and plans. Of the taxa considered to
be under threat, the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species now includes 76% of the
mammals, 25% of the fish, 18% of the amphibians and 10% of the flora.
- Spanish Strategic Plan for the Wetlands conservation and rational use (1999)
and Spain?s National Wetlands Inventory: In 2010, 49 wetlands in Rioja were added
(BOE No. 30, of 4 February 2010), expanding the National Wetlands Inventory to
comprise a total of 189 wetlands (119,654.06 ha).
- Forest Strategy and development of the Spanish Forest Plan. Spain's forest area,
comprising woodland and other forest formations, now stands at almost 28 million ha, a
figure that has tended to stabilise in recent years.
- National Action Program against Desertification (PAND). In this context, Spain
approved a special plan to plant 45 million trees across the country between 2009 and
2012.
- National Strategy for River Restoration, which is being implemented by the Spanish
Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs.
- Draft of the Marine Environment Protection Law.

The Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation is the backbone of Spain?s policy on development.
This document was elaborated including all stakeholders involved in cooperation. Moreover,
the consensus in Spanish society towards the Master Plan was complete because it was
approved by the Co-operation Development Council and the Parliament.
Climate change is an essential part for building sustainable development. They have to be
considered as cross cutting issues that have to be taken into account in other areas. .
Political support for Climate change was enhanced by the creation of several institutions, in
order to reinforce cooperation between departments: the Commission for Climate Change
Policy Coordination (CCPCC), the National Climate Council (NCC), the Delegate Government
Commission for Climate Change (CDGCC); the Interministerial Group for Climate Change
(GICC) and Social Dialogue negotiation Tables.
It is also to be outlined the 2009-2012 Housing and Refurbishment Plan that includes
the so-called House Renove Program, which focuses on the refurbishment of specific
buildings and on actions aimed at improving energy efficiency, renewable energy use and the
implementation of access devices for people with disabilities.

For our country´s senior national policy makers the three pillars of SD are strongly
complementary, as it can be inferred from the content and the elaboration process of the
Spanish National Strategy for Sustainable Development (The Strategy was prepared by an
Inter-ministerial Group of the Representative Commission of the Government for Economic
Matters).
For Spanish policy makers, Sustainable development is a bridging concept aimed at
bringing convergence among inclusive economic growth, social improvement, and
environmental protection. It is also aimed at bringing together developed and
developing countries, offering a common space and the opportunity to strengthen the
coherence and efficiency of our policies.

In relation with the 2009-2012 Housing and Refurbishment Plan special mention
deserves the specific program of the Integrated Rehabilitation Areas, because it introduces
several innovations. Between them, the bet for a really integrated model of rehabilitation
who contemplates simultaneously three dimensions of the sustainability: social,
environmental and economic. For that, the possible access to public financial support, private
initiatives has to guarantee that there is a previous diagnosis of the area and a Program of
Integrated Actions that will have to include measures in all the following areas: Socioeconomic,
educational and cultural; endowments and public equipments; energy efficiency
and utilization of renewable energies; and improvement of the habitability and accessibility
of the urban environment and of the housings and buildings included in the area.
The sector which is significant in public-private partnerships is the urban waste treatment
plans under concession, which can include selling of biogas as renewable energy.

UN system entities promote sustainable development in our country mainly by:
- Raising awareness within governments, financial institutions, the private sector and
society in general about the need to implement sustainable development models
(organizing events, publishing reports, etc.
- Providing information about sustainable development (publishing studies, reports to
assess progress, etc) and encouraging action-oriented initiatives
- Increasing dialogue and action in global partnership.
- Supporting specific policy initiatives, institutional development and capacity-building
at the international, regional and national levels.

UN system entities promote sustainable development in our country mainly by:
- Raising awareness within governments, financial institutions, the private sector and
society in general about the need to implement sustainable development models
(organizing events, publishing reports, etc.
- Providing information about sustainable development (publishing studies, reports to
assess progress, etc) and encouraging action-oriented initiatives
- Increasing dialogue and action in global partnership.
- Supporting specific policy initiatives, institutional development and capacity-building
at the international, regional and national levels.

The approach to the concept of SD has to be tackled in a wider context. To fully implement a
SD model in our society it is necessary to better promote the right concept of sustainability
due to the its key role within the environmental, social and economic pillars.
In addition to this, coherence between all the principles of sustainable development is
needed and, to do so, active coordination between Ministries, regional and local governments
must be enhanced. Undoubtedly, this cannot be done without a real engagement of
governments, civil society and the private sector to implement a sustainable development
model.

? The complexity and the range of the concept
? Need of policy coherence in sector policies,
? Need of active coordination between governments and administrations involved in the
three pillars of sustainable development.
? Need of real engagement of governments, civil society and the private sector)

The spreading of sustainable practices guides followed by joint action-oriented initiatives
could be useful tools to encourage the promotion of effective voluntary actions and
partnerships.

In line with the EU common approach, expressed during the PrepCom1, Spain believes that
none of the challenges listed in the chapeau of section C is really a new or emerging issue,
although some of their consequences may be increasing lately, with a more important global
interdependence and new effects.
In this context, Spain is of the opinion that we should concentrate on the forward looking
potential that the UNCSD 2012 conference offers us. The two themes of the Conference,
Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and
Institutional Framework for SD, could offer new tools/approaches to tackle many of these
challenges in an integrated and holistic way. In any case, it is important to highlight that
significant additional efforts (entailing enhanced coordination and common action) will be
needed to, among other challenges, curb and adapt to climate change, to promote
sustainable consumption and production patterns and to reverse current loss of biodiversity
and natural resources and poverty reduction.
In the area of the urban development the Spanish Strategy of Urban Sustainability and
Local, developed together with the Department of Environment, Rural and Marine Way and
the participation of other ministerial departments, the OSE (Observatory of the Urban
Sustainability in Spain) and the Agency of Urban Ecology of Barcelona, is a document that
tries to be a strategic frame that gathers beginning, aims, directives and measures whose
effective application allows to advance in the direction of a major urban and local
sustainability. Nowadays it?s in its final approval step.

See question above. The international community support to the main two themes of the
Conference will be key in the forthcoming future steps.
Better coordination and mainstreaming of information and activities (as recognized in the
theme Institutional framework for sustainable development) will be outstanding issues in this
regard.

The future preparations to the UNCSD 2012 conference will entail a better coordination
among the different stakeholders involved at all levels.
From the development point of view, Spain encourages a comprehensive approach that
entails the strengthening of the three pillars. All elements are important to bolster
sustainable development in developing countries. We back the principle ?each country is
responsible for its own development?. Therefore, it is essential to encourage South-South
and regional cooperation because of their added value and the strong political commitment
as well as to promote the appropriation principle to implement sustainable politics in all
sectors.
A good example of what Spain stands is Spain?s support to Small Island States (SIDS)
through the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy. Another important example is the
contribution to the Adaptation Fund and the significant commitment to the ?fast start
finance? period for climate change in developing countries.

Spanish measures and investments related to Green Economy could be classified into nine
main categories:
1. General strategies & measures
2. Sustainable energy
3. Sustainable transport
4. Sustainable agriculture and rural development
5. Water management
6. Waste management and recycling
7. Ecological infrastructure
8. Environmentally related R&D
9. Development Aid
1. General strategies, legislation & measures related to Green Economy
In response to the economic and financial crisis, Spain adopted some initial emergency
measures, as the ?Plan E?, to stimulate the economy and employment, fiscal stimulus,
increased debt, change from budget surplus to deficit, including environmental actions.
http://www.plane.gob.es/fondo-especial-del-estado-para-la-dinamizacion-de-la-economia-yel-
empleo/
In a second phase, other reforms are being carried out to achieve sustainable recovery:
definition and implementation of strategic economic policy instruments, combining incentives
to combat the crisis with measures to establish the basis for sustainable medium- and longterm
economic growth:
- Sustainable Economy Strategy (December 2009) and Sustainable Economy Bill
(which is about to be approved). The new sustainable economy bill sets out different
measures and proposals of various ministries within one document. It aims to turn
Spain?s productive model characterised by excessive dependence on labour-intensive
activities, especially in the construction sector, towards another model that rewards high
added-value, technology-intensive activities. This would be achieved through a
regulatory framework and tax incentives directed at promoting increased
competitiveness among companies in a knowledge-based economy.
The three fundamental axes around which the law is expressed are the improvement of
the economic environment, competitiveness and environmental sustainability.
http://www.economiasostenible.gob.es/que-es/
- State Fund for Local Investment (October 2009). The State Fund for Local
Investment represented an investment of 8,000 million euros from the Government of
Spain to reactivate the economy through more than 30,700 projects carried out by local
councils and bodies, which led to the creation of more than 426,000 jobs. Some of the
projects financed were those related to environmental protection, prevention of pollution
and the promotion of energy efficiency.
- Sustainable development investment fund (December 2009), entailing an amount of
?20,000 M for 2010 and 2011. Some target sectors for the financing of projects are the
environment, knowledge and innovation and areas of social significance.
In addition to these measures, the Spanish Sustainable Development Strategy,
approved by Ministry Council on 23 November 2007, strives to integrate the economic,
social, environmental and global dimension of sustainable development, thus playing an
essential role in the process of ?greening the economy?.
http://www.mma.es/secciones/el_ministerio/pdf/EEDS_ingles.pdf.
Other basic instrument which lets us assess progress in the implementation of GE policies is
the ?Environmental Profile of Spain? (available from 2004 to 2009) published by the
Spanish Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, that makes available to
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the general public accessible information, based on indicators, regarding various aspects of
the environment and the productive sectors.
http://www.mma.es/portal/secciones/calidad_contaminacion/indicadores_ambientales/perfil
_ambiental_2009/
In relation to Green Jobs promotion, the report on green jobs in a sustainable economy,
Empleo verde en una economía sostenible, produced by the Observatory on Sustainability in
Spain (OSE) and the Biodiversity Foundation (FB) at the request of the Ministry of the
Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, estimated that in 2009 the number of people
employed in activities traditionally associated with the environment (green jobs) stood at
almost 531,000, equivalent to 2.6% of the working population.
http://www.sostenibilidades.
org/sites/default/files/_Informes/tematicos/empleo_verde/empleo_verde-esp.pdf
Spain also approved a Green Public Procurement Plan in 2008. The plan was designed to
achieve levels of green public purchasing equal to those of the best-performing EU member
states.
http://www.mma.es/secciones/contratacion_verde/pdf/orden_pre_116_2008_de21_01.pdf
2. Sustainable energy
Spain is a prominent user of renewable energy and has made significant progress in the wind
and solar thermal and photovoltaic energy fields in recent years. The Spanish government's
focus on renewable energy sources is also intended to reduce Spain's dependence on oil
imports and to further efforts to fulfil the country's Kyoto Protocol commitments.
Until 2004, Spain's economy showed an upward trend in energy intensity (primary energy
consumption per unit of GDP). Since then, energy intensity has remained at the average
level for EU countries and the USA. Increasing energy efficiency, a greater contribution by
renewable energy and, towards the end of the period, a drop in economic activity, resulted in
a significant decrease in energy intensity in Spain between 2005 and 2008.
Furthermore, in terms of job creation, renewable energy is a generally favourable field and
has been particularly so in Spain in recent years. In Spain, the number of jobs in the sector
grew by 40.87% in four years to total 120,000 in 2008.
In the Energy sector, Spain has implemented a number of measures around three axes:
- the prevision on the evolution of energy demand
- the increase in the participation of renewable energies and
- R&D&I programmes in clean energy technologies.
The aim of the Renewable Energy Promotion Plans 2000-2010 and 2011-2020 is to
boost renewable energy production:
http://www.idae.es/index.php/mod.documentos/mem.descarga?file=/documentos_PER_200
5-2010_8_de_gosto-2005_Completo.%28modificacionpag_63%29_Copia_2_301254a0.pdf
In 2004, Spain also approved an Energy Saving and Efficiency Strategy 2004-2012
followed by two Action Plans: 2005-2007 and 2008-2011:
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/demand/legislation/doc/neeap/es_neeap_en.pdf
The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies Law will be soon approved. The law will
transpose the community regulation on energy and climate change and will improve the
current legal framework for enhancing energy efficiency and renewable energies.
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Other specific measures in this sector are the following:
- Energy Saving and Efficiency Plan of the State administration (2009) and the
Energy Saving and Efficiency Plan in Public Administrations (?Plan 2000ESE?),
approved in 2010.
- Tourism facilities renovation plans (?Plan FuturE?): It finances those investments
improving the sustainability of the different premises, in particular, those contributing to
energy saving and to preserving and enhancing the environment.
- 2009-2012 Housing and Refurbishment Plan. It includes the so-called House
Renove Program, which focuses on the refurbishment of specific buildings and on
actions aimed at improving energy efficiency, renewable energy use and the
implementation of access devices for people with disabilities.
- The Technical Code for Building (Real Decreto 314/2006) sets the duty to include
energy efficiency criteria and the use of solar, both thermal and photovoltaic energy in
new buildings or in those which are being restored.
- Moreover, the new Regulation for Thermal Installations of Buildings, approved in
July, 2007 and the Energetic Certification of Buildings (Real Decreto 47/2007) with a
major target of improving energy efficiency in both new and existing houses.
- Also noteworthy is the "Save energy" Public awareness-raising campaign and Free
distribution of low energy light bulbs campaign:
http://www.idae.es/index.php/mod.pags/mem.detalle/id.404
Also noteworthy is the Plan to Promote Internationalization of the Spanish Economy
in Sectors Associated with Climate Change drawn up jointly by the Secretaries of State
of Trade, Economy, Research and Climate Change and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
http://www.icex.es/cambioclimatico/web/PI%20Newsletter.pdf
3. Sustainable transport
Transport in Spain is affected by similar problems than in other EU countries, consuming
almost 40% of final energy and being one of the main sectors responsible for the growth of
GHG emissions and air pollution in cities. The factors that propel the increase in mobility are,
among others, the low internalization of emissions associated costs, the growth in domestic
and global trade, the new demands of citizen?s mobility and an intensive use of private
vehicles in urban areas. As a result, the growth of transport has surpassed the efficiency
improvements achieved for vehicles use is intensive and road transport predominates.
Spain's energy intensity in the transport sector differed from the average for the EU-27.
Between 2000 and 2007, transport's energy intensity in the EU-27 fell by 4.5%, while in
Spain it rose by 3 percentage points in 2004 before decreasing again to stand in 2007 at
0.9% above the 2000 level. Moreover, in the period 2000-2008 the ratios between transport
emissions and energy consumption have decreased about 2.5% for greenhouse gases
-mainly due to biofuels-, 25% for acidifying substances, 45% for ozone precursors and 20%
for particulate matter.
In recent years, several policies and measures put in place by public bodies have produced a
modal shift in passenger transport from private car and air transport towards bus, rail and
maritime cabotage. However, freight transport still shows small increases in road, Another
significant factor is that the while rail freight sector only accounts for fewer than 4% of the
total while the European average is 18%.
In relation with transport, the Strategic Plan for Infrastructure and Transport (PEIT.
20059-2020) is being developed. In this framework, a great investment effort is being made
on the railway transport, which obtains almost 50% of the total investment, aimed at
transforming it in the key element for the goods and passengers transport system. In
particular, a Plan to foster the freight transport by rail has been recently adopted under the
framework of the on-going PEIT update. This Plan is aimed at correcting its current
weaknesses and promoting a significant improvement of the modal distribution of freight
transport.
17
In 2009 the Spanish Strategy for Sustainable Mobility was adopted, setting up the
guidelines and measures regarding land use planning, transport and infrastructures, climate
change and reduction of energy dependence, air quality and noise, security and health and
demand management, giving special attention to fostering alternatives to private vehicles
and the use of more efficient and sustainable ways of transport.
Transport is one of the key elements of the future Sustainable Economy Bill, which covers
several aspects of sustainability in the sector, such as the structure and organization of
transport markets, infrastructure planning and transport systems in urban and metropolitan
areas.
Other noteworthy initiatives in this sector are the following:
- Competitiveness Programme for the Automotive Sector. 2009. It aims to
promote investments to reorient production towards higher value-added vehicles,
more sustainable, more efficient and safer.
- Strategy to Promote Electric Vehicles in Spain and Action Plan 2010-2012. It
consists of fifteen steps that cover application development, industrialisation, R&D,
refuelling infrastructure development and promotion.
- Movele Plan (Electric Movility). 2009 and 2010.
- VIVE (?Vehículo Innovador ? Vehículo Ecológico?) and 2000E Plans, which gave
support for the replacement of cars over 10 years old. A VIVE Plan for buses and
coaches was also approved.
- Special tax applied on certain vehicles
4. Sustainable agriculture and rural development
Some of the initiatives that are being implemented at the moment are the new Law on
Sustainable Development of Rural Areas (?Ley 45/2007, de 13 de diciembre, para el
desarrollo sostenible del medio rural) and the recently approved Sustainable Development of
Rural Areas Program, 2010-2014.
In 2007, Spain had the second-largest area devoted to organic production in the entire
European Union. In 2008, this increased by 33.3% on the year before. Since entry into force
of Regulation (EEC) 2092/91, Spain's organic farmland has grown from 4,235 ha in 1994 to
1,317,750 ha in 2008.
Similarly, the number of workers employed in organic farming has increased, rising from
20,171 in 2007 to 23,473 in 2008, representing growth of 16.4%. This data is important for
assessing organic farming's social return and its role in sustainable rural development.
5. Water Management
Water resources in Spain are limited and unequally distributed in space and time.
The water policy pursued by the Ministry of the Environment, and Rural and Marine Affairs
is underpinned by the principles of protection and recovery of water bodies (quality and
quantity), main objectives of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
An integrated system of water resources management is currently in place, based on
recovery and environmental management, the increase of efficiency in water use, and
specific extreme event management Plans (droughts and floods).
New river basin Plans will be shortly published. Those Plans are in line with the objectives of
the WFD, in which surface, coastal, transitional and ground water are jointly managed,
taking into account social, environment and economic conditions.
18
Protection of groundwater is one of the goals of the Spanish Administration. In 2009, the
Spanish Government approved Royal Decree 1514/2009, of 2 October, on the protection
of groundwater against pollution and deterioration.
It is also worth mentioning the draft of the National Strategy for Sustainable
Modernisation of Irrigation ? Horizon 2015, which in 2009 was submitted to Spain's
regional Governments and stakeholders for consultation. Among its priorities are water
conservation and rational management of water use. These policies seek to achieve
improvements in both water quality and use and involve all the sectors concerned in
management of the resource.
6. Waste management and recycling
The growing generation of waste, which has become one of the most urgent problems of
modern societies, both due to their management needs, and their impact on land and water
pollution, public health, GHG emissions, etc.
Spain's economic growth over the last decade has been accompanied by an increase in waste
generation. There is therefore a need to prevent production, encourage reuse and promote
appropriate management of waste.
In Spain, urban waste has increased by 52% between 1995 and 2004, which means that in
2004, each Spaniard generated 1.4 kilograms of waste per day, an amount somewhat below
the European average, located around 1,6 kg.
Throughout this period, waste treatment has improved considerably.
The New National Plan of Integrated Waste 2008- 2015 (PNIR) was launched in 2008,
aimed at integrating the European core principles and giving a clear sign to different
Administrations and economic agents involved. During the first year of implementation of the
National Integrated Waste Plan (PNIR) 2008?2015, a series of measures, including efforts to
encourage co-ordination and collaboration between public administrations, were put into
practice with the aim of enhancing the information available about waste and eradicating
illegal landfill, among other important goals. Among the prevention measures, some of the
most significant were those aimed at reducing the number of single-use plastic bags in
circulation. To achieve this, a major communication campaign was launched embracing both
public and private initiatives to reduce consumption and, therefore, generation of this type of
waste.
In accordance with the PNIR, on 27 November 2009, a Royal Decree was passed to
regulate the direct subsidies granted to Spain's regional governments. Under this Royal
Decree, the MARM co-finances, among other actions, closure of dumpsites that do not
comply with applicable legislation, exploitation of biogas at landfill sites, construction of
recycling points, and projects to promote separate collection of urban waste's organic
component, as well as initiatives to improve processing at urban-waste composting and
organic-matter biodigestion plants. Promotion of domestic composting is another of the
initiatives encouraged through new pilot projects, which have driven an increase in the
number of municipalities that have introduced this prevention practice.
Furthermore, the future Waste Law, which is currently being drafted and will transpose the
new Waste Framework Directive into Spanish legislation, is intended to simplify and update
existing waste legislation, implement a more ambitious and effective waste policy, promote
reuse and recycling, harmonise the existing regulations governing extended producer
responsibility, improve regulation of municipal waste, and increase the transparency and
environmental and economic effectiveness of waste management.
7. Ecological infrastructure
Considering the substantial economic services provided by ecosystems, and the importance
of Spain?s biodiversity at the European level, many strategies, plans and investments are
being carried out in this area:
- Law 42/2007, of 13 December, on natural heritage and biodiversity, includes
new instruments for dealing with biodiversity loss. It also incorporates lines of work
based on the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and other international
19
commitments. Among these instruments, two of the most significant are the Natural
Heritage and Biodiversity Inventory and the National Strategic Plan for Natural
Heritage and Biodiversity (PEEPNB).
- Management of Protected areas: In 2009, Spain had 1,519 protected areas covering
an overall area (terrestrial and marine) of 6,174,788 ha ? 11.7% of the country's total
territory.
- Management of Natura 2000 network: 27.65% of the country?s area was protected
in 2009. It should be noted that some of the area designated as PA also forms part of the
Natura 2000 network and that, consequently, adding the two totals together does not
equal the total area protected by both.
- Threatened species conservation strategies and plans. Of the taxa considered to
be under threat, the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species now includes 76% of the
mammals, 25% of the fish, 18% of the amphibians and 10% of the flora.
- Spanish Strategic Plan for the Wetlands conservation and rational use (1999)
and Spain?s National Wetlands Inventory: In 2010, 49 wetlands in Rioja were added
(BOE No. 30, of 4 February 2010), expanding the National Wetlands Inventory to
comprise a total of 189 wetlands (119,654.06 ha).
- Forest Strategy and development of the Spanish Forest Plan. Spain's forest area,
comprising woodland and other forest formations, now stands at almost 28 million ha, a
figure that has tended to stabilise in recent years.
- National Action Program against Desertification (PAND). In this context, Spain
approved a special plan to plant 45 million trees across the country between 2009 and
2012.
- National Strategy for River Restoration, which is being implemented by the Spanish
Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs.
- Draft of the Marine Environment Protection Law.
8. Environmentally-related R&D&I
The average percentage of GDP invested in research and development in the European Union
is higher than in Spain. Nevertheless, Spain has achieved significant growth in this field in
recent years ? between 1998 and 2008 the figure for the EU-27 rose by 6.15%, while in
Spain it increased by 55.17% over the same period.
Spain approved in 2008 its National R&D Plan 2008-2011, one of which Strategic R&D
actions is Energy and climate change:
http://www.micinn.es/portal/site/MICINN/menuitem.7eeac5cd345b4f34f09dfd1001432ea0/?
vgnextoid=83b192b9036c2210VgnVCM1000001d04140aRCRD
Furthermore, the Spanish Innovation Strategy has been recently approved. In addition to
this, there are specific R&D&I incentives in many other areas related to Green Economy
and the promotion of a sustainable development. For instance, the Spanish Ministry of the
Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs incentives to promote:
- Biodiversity and Environment R&D&I
- Energy efficiency, waste management, best available technologies or the substitution of
chemical substances among others.
20
Other remarkable initiatives are the pilot CO2 Capture and Geological Storage (CCS)
plant in Compostilla (León) or the Climate Change Research Institute that will be set in
the northeastern city of Zaragoza.
Common projects with the CSIC (Spanish Council for Scientific Research), i. e. the
International Laboratory for Global Change (Chile), the impulse to create a Global Change
Observatory or the creation of a Hub for Investigation of Global Change, where thousands of
national and international Researchers are working together.
Participation of the INIA at the Regional Funds of Agricultural Technology (FONTAGRO),
Country alliances for the scientific and technological Research and Innovation funding in the
Agricultural sector, contributing to the sustainable use of the natural resources in Latin
America and the Caribbean.
Creation of an Energy area in the Latin-American Program of Science and Technology for
Development (CYTED), in addition of the existing about Sustainable Development, Global
Change and Ecosystems. They are promoting the networks and projects related to the
renewable energies and the climate change with a clear impact on the specific problems of
those regions, with great participation of the CIEMAT.
9. Development aid
The Master Plan for the Spanish Cooperation 2009-2012 is the backbone of Spain?s policy
on development. The Master Plan itself identifies environmental sustainability as one of
its five cross-cutting priorities (social inclusion and fighting against poverty, (ii)
democratic governance and promotion of human rights, (iii) gender in development,
and (v) consideration of the cultural dimension and respect for diversity.
Moreover, environmental sustainability is identified as a sector priority. The importance of
that sector in the Spanish Cooperation has been increasing last years, both in the bilateral
aid and in the multilateral aid.
Furthermore, the Environment and Sustainable Development Strategy Paper of the Spanish
Cooperation is the main document for this sector.
The General Objective is to support and promote inclusive, equitable, sustained economic
growth respectful of the environment, based on generating the economic, business and
associative fabric in partner countries, and under the principles of decent work and economic
policies favouring poverty reduction and social cohesion.
In the framework of MDGs, reaching MDG 7 to guarantee environmental sustainability is
fundamental to reach the other MDG´s and to guarantee the right to healthcare, a decent
shelter or respect for the local culture now and for future generations
Some of Spain?s initiatives supporting a sustainable human development in developing
countries are listed below:
1. Spain strongly supports the Adaptation Fund. Its main goal is the adjustment in natural
or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which
moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities.
2. The Water and Sanitation Cooperation Fund, launched by the Spanish Prime Minister
in 2008, during the Latin American and Caribbean-European Union Heads of States? summit.
3. The increasing importance of the Spanish contributions to multilateral development
agencies specialized in Environment: UNEP, UN-HABITAT, GEF or UN-PEI. Moreover, our
contributions to the Climate Investments Funds have been increasing last years.
4. Taking into account that environment and the fight against the effects of climate change
are mainstreaming issues for the Spanish Cooperation Policy, this priority has been
included in the relations between Spain and international agencies focused on development.
21
5. The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation has a new department for
including environment in all geographical areas. This department gives continuity to the
achievements of the programs Araucaria XXI (sustainable development in Latin America) and
Azahar (sustainable development in Mediterranean area)
6. The Bilateral Official Development Aid in the field of renewable energies, in developing
countries, has doubled from 2005 to 2008. The same figures could be mentioned for
adaptation to climate change policies.
7. Spain has been promoting several Networks in Latin America related with water (CODIAConference
of Latin America Directors for Water) o climate change (RIOCC ? Latin America
Network for Climate Change Offices).
The Spanish Plan for cooperation 2009-2012 also recognize as a new strategy the Research,
the Innovation and the Development Study, considering Science, Technology and Innovation
for the Human Development as a priority. The future Law of Science, Technology and
Innovation, includes the development cooperation for R+D+I as one of its targets.
10. Urban Sustainable Development
The Redrafted Text on the Land Act approved on 20 June 2008, defends a model of urban
sustainable development minimizing the impact of the growth of the development urban and
betting for the regeneration of the urban existing city. In this respect the article 2 of the law
establishes that ?Public policies related to land?s regulation, planning, occupancy,
transformation and use have the common aim of using this resource according to general
interest and the principle of sustainable development, without prejudice of other aims that
law shall give to them.? In addition The Land Act gathers one prevents there from
transforming more urban land than the indispensable one to satisfy the needs that like that
justify it preventing the speculation.
Finally it is necessary to emphasize that article 15 regulates the need of that the urban and
regional planning instruments are submitted to environmental evaluation.

- Green economy policies should achieve a real sustainable development model. In order to
reach that ambitious objective, specific politics need to target the challenges the world is
facing today:
1. The economic challenge
2. The environmental challenge, including climate change, energy and resource crisis, loss
of biodiversity and desertification.
3. The social challenge: there is an urgent need of greater equity between generations,
between North and South and South-South and between rich and poor.
In order to be successful in greening our economies there is a need to implement policies
that:
- Focus on resource efficiency (including energy efficiency) and sustainable use and
management of natural resources in all economic sectors (energy, transport,
agriculture, fisheries, etc.).
- Asses the economic values of biodiversity and ecosystem services and correcting
prices of environmental goods and services.
- Bolster the planet´s ecological infrastructure.
- Promote innovation, increasing R&D&I efforts in environmentally related sectors.
- Develop skills and occupational profiles for green jobs.
- Reduce subsidies for environmentally harmful economic activities.
- Implement environmental taxes
Furthermore, developed countries must assist developing countries in reaching the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), increasing funding and technology diffusion and
transfer to help them greening their economies. The latter is as important as encouraging
South-South Cooperation between these countries.

- The OECD and more specifically its DAC have been working in the field of green economy.
Spain, as member of both bodies, tends to align itself with OECD and DAC?s premises on that
issue.
More inclusive and equitable globalisation is essential in order to confront inequalities and
globally shared problems, among which poverty and environmental deterioration are at the
very forefront.
Job creation, which serves poverty eradication, has been a key point in the design process of
most of the initiatives related to GE listed in answer 1.1. Particularly, renewable energy has
been a successful field for job creation in Spain in recent years.
The Spanish Development Cooperation is fully aligned with the objectives of Promoting Pro-
Poor Growth. Spain is involved in the OECD?s debates about pro-poor growth and green
economy, hold in the Development Cooperation Committee.
Furthermore, as stated in D1.1, Urban Sustainable Development is one of the pillars of the
Green Economy set of policies and is very much related to poverty eradication. As
continuation of the Leipzig Charter that demanded to paying special attention ?to deprived
neighbourhoods within the context of the city as a whole? and more particularly to ?pursuing
strategies for upgrading the physical environment?, ?strengthening the local economy and
local labour market policy?, promoting ?proactive education and training policies for children
and young people?, and the ?promotion of efficient and affordable urban transport?; Spain
has set up the Urban Vulnerability Observatory.
The Urban Vulnerability Observatory is a long-term project by the Spanish Secretary of State
of Housing in the framework of the activities for the European Year for Combating Poverty
and Social Exclusion and the Government-led policy to drive integrated urban regeneration.
A useful tool for identifying neighbourhoods in need of urgent action, fostering the physical
rehabilitation of buildings, facilities and public spaces and combating other social,
environmental and economic problems, taking a broad multi-sector approach.
The Urban Development Analysis of Vulnerable Neighbourhoods in Spain covers urban
problems from a multi-dimensional approach, considering the issues and variables with the
greatest effect on vulnerability in a specific social space, converted into 20 indicators
grouped into four categories:
? Socio-demographic indicators.
? Socio-economic indicators.
? Residential indicators.
? Subjective-vulnerability indicators, compiling people?s own perceptions of their
neighbourhood?s problems.

Finally, ensuring sustainable and modern public systems of health, pensions, social services
and dependence for all citizenship will contribute to a more cohesive and inclusive society.

Spain is implementing policies mentioned in answer D.1.1. which are, as a whole,
contributing to green the Spanish economy and has recently approved a Sustainable
Economy Strategy (as mentioned above).

Implementing a national GE strategy would help us to improve the ?three pillars? (economic,
environmental and social approach) mentioned above, supporting sustainable development
and ensuring prosperity in the long run.
Economic benefits
- It encourages the transition to a resilient and sustainable Economy.
- It increases productivity by a lower and more efficient consumption of non-renewable
energy and resources.
- It stimulates innovation.
Environmental benefits
- It helps us tackle the challenges of climate change, resource and energy crisis, loss
of biodiversity and desertification.
Social benefits
- It increases employment by creating ?green jobs? (jobs associated with cleaner,
more efficient products and processes) in particular decentralized employment.
- It increases wellbeing of societies.
- It is a source of global and intergenerational solidarity.

Energy (including related sectors as transport or building) is the most important
determinant in the transition to Green Economy.
Other important sectors, in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication,
are Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (which have a huge potential to reduce extreme
poverty and hunger, contributing to reach the MDGs).
Furthermore, one of the main challenges of MDG improving access to safe drinking water and
basic sanitation so Water and Waste Management necessarily have to be key pillars in the
process of greening the economy.
Education should be portrayed as well as a basic factor in building a green economy.
Finally, it is very important to light up the urban policies because cities are not only the
engines of economic growth and innovation, or the places where a large part of Europe?s
human, social, cultural and economic capital is allocated, but at the same time, the principal
nodes where most of the resources consumption (materials and energy) and the production
of waste and emissions (including, most significantly, greenhouse gases) are concentrated.
From a social perspective, cities are also the places where the challenges of demographics,
inclusion and social cohesion, the integration of immigrants, unemployment, education,
poverty, multiculturality challenges, etc., are felt most intensely.

Green economy policies in the energy and transport sector (promotion of renewable
energies, improvement of energy efficiency, promotion on ecologic vehicles etc.) have
proved to be effective in many of the national experiences reported to UNEP:
http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/ and so have been in Spain.
Public procurement policies, as the Spanish one, are also impacting on the market,
helping to increase supply of sustainable goods and services and sometimes lowering the
prices of these goods and services.
Green innovation policies have also proved to be effective, particularly in some specific
fields as energy efficiency, renewable energies or waste management.
Two of the key priorities for policy development cooperation, are the fight against
hunger and water supply and sanitation. The overall objective of our policy of
cooperation for development is the achievement of the MDGs. To increase its effectiveness in
the pursuit of sustainable human development, the Master Plan for the Spanish Cooperation
took into account various strategic areas. Among them, it is essential to mention the
multilateral and bilateral cooperation in the field and the coherence of other Spanish public
policies with the objectives of development.

As mentioned before, one of the most visible outcomes of the development of GE initiatives
is job creation, which serves poverty eradication.
Furthermore, GE policies also reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcities,
contributing to make progress in sustainable development.

Success of GE, and sustainable development, polices is undoubtedly linked to a real
commitment of policymakers.
In addition to this, the achievement of an active involvement of civil society and the private
sector in sustainable development is also a key piece of the GE initiatives success.
Another key point in the success of the ?greening the economies? process is the coherence of
other international policies with the development policy?s goals1, with the general aim of a
sustainable human development.

Public perception of our position in the world and the fragility of our survival and well-being,
of our economy and security is changing. Specific threats, as climate change, are the source
of a global green awareness: there is an urgent need for action to change our development
model into a sustainable development model.
1 Concept defined in the COMMISSION STAFF WORKING PAPER - EU Report on Policy Coherence
for Development {COM(2007)545 final}
25
Most remarkable actions in building political and popular ownership for GE measures are the
UNEP Green Economy Initiative, which includes the Global Green New Deal launched in 2009,
and all the UNEP reports related to this initiative, of great impact on media.
OCDE´s Declaration on green growth (2009) has also driven the adoption of GE measures by
Governments. Many countries have included ?green? investments in their stimulus packages
designed to combat the financial crisis, contributing to the development of political and
popular ownership for Green Economy measures.
Another key moment was the Group of Twenty (G20) leaders Summit in London, in 2009,
which had a great media coverage, where G20 leaders pledged to "accelerate the transition
to a green economy". The G-20 Development Group?s creation in 2010 represents a real
backing to development. The concept ?growth with resilience? will be the framework in which
G-20?s initiatives will be interpreted.

Energy
Las energías renovables a ambos lados de la raya. Instituto para la Diversificación y el
Ahorro de la Energía (IDAE).
http://www.idae.es/index.php/mod.publicaciones/mem.buscar/relmenu.73/regini.225
Solar Energy in Spain 2007. Current state and prospects. IDAE.
http://www.idae.es/index.php/mod.publicaciones/mem.buscar/relmenu.73/regini.195
Wind energy in Spain 2005 : current status and prospects. IDAE.
http://www.idae.es/index.php/mod.publicaciones/mem.buscar/relmenu.73/regini.210
Transport
Towards Sustainable Urban Transport Policies: recomendations for local
authorities. IDAE.
IDAE.http://www.idae.es/index.php/mod.publicaciones/mem.buscar/relmenu.73/regini.105
Gestión de la movilidad : Cambiando el modo de viajar. IDAE.
http://www.idae.es/index.php/mod.publicaciones/mem.buscar/relmenu.73/regini.30
Observatorio de la Movilidad Metropolitana
http://www.transyt.upm.es/index.php?pageID=111
Water management
Informe Agua y Sostenibilidad. Funcionalidad de las Cuencas. Observatorio de la
Sostenibilidad en España (OSE).
http://www.sostenibilidades.
org/sites/default/files/_Informes/tematicos/agua/agua_y_sostenibilidad-esp.pdf
Ahorro y eficiencia energética en agricultura de regadío. IDAE.
http://www.idae.es/index.php/mod.publicaciones/mem.buscar/relmenu.73
Development Cooperation:
Master Plan of the Spanish Cooperation (2009-2012); March 2009
http://www.maec.es/es/MenuPpal/CooperacionInternacional/Publicacionesydocumentacion/D
ocuments/lineasmaestras09-12_En.pdf
Environment and Sustainable Development Strategy Paper of the Spanish
Cooperation; December 2007
http://www.maec.es/es/MenuPpal/CooperacionInternacional/Publicacionesydocumentacion/D
ocuments/lineasmaestras09-12_En.pdf
Fight against Hunger Strategy Paper of the Spanish Development Cooperation
http://www.maec.es/SiteCollectionDocuments/Cooperaci%C3%B3n%20espa%C3%B1ola/Pu
blicaciones/DES%20RE%20Lucha%20contra%20Hambre%20ing.pdf
All the Strategic Documents can be found in:
http://www.maec.es/es/MenuPpal/CooperacionInternacional/Publicacionesydocumentacion/P
aginas/publlicaciones_cooperacion.aspx#sec3
Urban development
Texto Refundido de la Ley del Suelo 2/2008, de 20 de junio
http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2008/06/26/pdfs/A28482-28504.pdf
Libro blanco de la Sostenibilidad en el Planeamiento Urbanístico español.
http://www.mviv.es/es/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1604&Itemid=156
Sistema de Información Urbana
http://siu.vivienda.es/portal/
Declaración de Toledo
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/newsroom/pdf/201006_toledo_declaration_es.pdf
Other studies
Sectores de la nueva economía 20+20. Escuela de Organización Industrial (EOI). 2010.
http://www.slideshare.net/slides_eoi/nueva-economia-2020eoieconomaverde
Valuation of natural assets in Spain.
http://www.mma.es/secciones/calidad_contaminacion/pdf/RVB.pdf
Sostenibilidad en España 2009. Observatorio de la Sostenibilidad en España (OSE).
http://www.sostenibilidades.
org/sites/default/files/_Informes/anuales/2009/sostenibilidad_2009-esp.pdf
Green Jobs in a Sustainable Economy Report: Fundación Biodiversidad y Observatorio
de la Sostenibilidad en España, April 2010. Available at http://www.fundacionbiodiversidad.
es/images/stories/recursos/noticias/2010/Informe%20Empleo%20Verde.pdf

A national sustainable development council has not been put in place in Spain as such.
Nevertheless an inter-ministerial group focused on sustainable development in which all
stakeholders are represented had been set up. This group of the Representative
Commission of the Government for Economic Affairs is in charge of the elaboration of
the Follow-up report for the Sustainable Development Strategy and at the end is the one
responsible for the NSDC. Therefore, the works of this group are extremely helpful in
order to set Spain?s position regarding the preparations for UNCSD.
Rafael Marquez Molero: rmarquez@mma.es

Regional and local governments, with specific competences have a key role in implementing
sustainable development activities. Autonomous communities have been very active in this
regard. See:
http://www.mma.es/portal/secciones/calidad_contaminacion/indicadores_ambientales/perfil
_ambiental_2009/pdf/3CCAA.pdf
See also:
http://www.eeac-net.org/

Civil society groups, trade unions and private sector.

The main example is Spain?s Development Co-operation Council that gathers civil society,
trade unions and private sector.
In the climate change area, political support was enhanced by the creation of several
institutions, in order to reinforce cooperation between departments: the Commission for
Climate Change Policy Coordination (CCPCC), the National Climate Council (NCC), the
Delegate Government Commission for Climate Change (CDGCC); and the Ministerial Group
for Climate Change (GICC).

The participation in policy development through the Development Co-operation Council that
gathers civil society, trade unions and private sector