Balearics consider climate change proposals insufficient

The Balearic representatives, Sebastià Sansó and Joan Groizard, have signed a joint declaration with counterparts from Valencia and Navarre in which they state that actions likely to result from the summit are insufficient.

This declaration notes that, over the days of the summit, work has been done to arrive at an “ambitious and inclusive agreement” to avoid the worst geographic, environmental, economic and social consequences of climate change. These impacts have been identified as the beginning of threats to water resources, bringing about water acidification, increased erosion, desertification, rising sea levels, the loss of forest and the alteration of ecosystems and the species which inhabit them.

The signatories to the declaration refer to a binding agreement for the decarbonisation of the economy by 2050, with periodic revisions with the aim of limiting global warming to between 1.5 and two degrees above pre-industrial levels in 1880.

Developed countries, they note, have greater historical responsibility for the emission of greenhouse gases, and they must now “have greater involvement in activating financing mechanisms to ensure proper adaptation” to climate change at a global level.
They believe that despite the work done at the summit, this commitment to greater involvement has not been met at Paris.

The three regions are committing themselves to rigorous pursuit of the challenge posed by climate change by taking a lead in decarbonisation, pledging to reduce contaminating emissions by 80% by 2050, developing renewable energies, and enhancing the protection of natural resources and marine and land ecosystems.

Sansó, Groizard and the other signatories have expressed their concerns regarding policies of the Spanish government at the summit and to the European Union, claiming that these policies in respect of industry, energy, transport, oil prospecting and ecosystem protection do not match ambitions for fighting climate change. In addition to a change in Spanish policy, they believe that the Paris agreement should be urgently reviewed by the international community in order that interests in general are not subject to political and economic interests.