¿Quién liderará las cero emisiones netas hasta 2040 en el planeta?

In 1992, he declared March 26 as the World Climate Day at the United Nations Convention on Climate Change. This day was created to raise awareness and sensitivity about the importance and influence of climate and the impact of climate change on human beings worldwide.

Days like this or more recently the International Day of Forests in 2025 serve as an invitation for citizens to reflect on lifestyles and environmental behaviors. It is essential to be aware that our actions not only affect humans but also impact other living beings and natural resources.

The World Climate Day is also linked to one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13, which has a set of objectives to achieve by 2030.

This goal aims to address climate change as a key issue in the policies, strategies, and plans of countries, businesses, and civil society. It seeks to enhance responses to the challenges posed by climate change and promote education and awareness among the population regarding this phenomenon.

Who Should Lead to Net Zero Emissions by 2040 on the Planet?

The global climate health continues to deteriorate, and avoiding the most severe consequences will only be possible with urgent and ambitious climate action. On the occasion of the 2025 World Climate Day on March 26, Greenpeace calls on Spain and the European Union to lead the climate ambition globally, aiming for net zero emissions by 2040.

Despite positive news such as the benefits of recent rains in Spanish ecosystems, the global climate outlook remains concerning. The worsening of climate indicators like the highest global temperature in the last 175 years or record greenhouse gas emissions demonstrate that we are experiencing consequences of climate change in the form of heatwaves, fires, or damages. These risks could escalate in the future, as the data also indicate that the negative trend is accelerating.

Faced with this potentially discouraging scenario, we need optimism and commitment towards our planet. Science shows that we are not acting at the required speed and decisiveness needed for the critical situation we are in.

Therefore, there is a call for Spain and the European Union to drive climate ambition and ensure achieving net zero emissions by 2040, which is currently under negotiation. While we are one of the regions historically contributing to this climate crisis, we also have better conditions than other areas to transition away from fossil fuels and lead a proper ecological transition for everyone.

The global average temperature exceeded by 1.5°C in 2024 above the pre-industrial era

The World Meteorological Organization warned in its latest report on climate records that the planet continues to exhibit concerning trends. For instance, the global average temperature surpassed by 1.5°C in 2024 above the pre-industrial era. Greenhouse gas emissions also hit record levels last year, resulting in a concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide at levels unseen in the last 800,000 years.

Behind these massive emissions are the use of fossil fuels (oil, coal, and gas), deforestation, and emissions from the agricultural system. Despite efforts by the International Energy Agency to reduce emissions, global emissions continue to rise: Fossil fuel-derived emissions in 2024 reached a peak of 37.8 Gt CO2, 0.8% higher than in 2023.

Although renewable energies covered over a third (38%) of the global energy demand increase, surpassing fossil gas by ten points, they have not yet outpaced the overall growth of fossil fuels, which covered 54% of the demand increase.

Contrary to the fossil fuel industry’s claims, science demonstrates that reducing emissions and sustainably adapting to climate change will have positive outcomes for people and the planet: It will lower energy bills, improve health, make urban environments more livable, and reduce travel costs.

The funds necessary for climate action exist and should be borne by the fossil fuel industry, the primary cause of this crisis. Greenpeace demands that governments and fossil fuel corporations, not the population, bear the climate, economic, and health costs caused by their activities.

Seven Measures Enabling the Net Zero Emissions Goal by 2040:

• A quality public transport service for the entire territory, starting with a single-carrier transport system. This will make public transportation more accessible, affordable, and attractive than private vehicles.
• Implementing a schedule to shut down gas cycle combined facilities by 2030, which raise electricity bills and generate significant emissions. Also, preventing capacity payments from favoring gas.
• Enhancing community-shared solar self-consumption among neighborhood communities and energy, ensuring that everyone can benefit from renewable energy rights.
• Providing assistance to the most polluting animal farms to reduce animal density or voluntarily cease operations, leading to a 50% reduction in intensive animal husbandry by 2030.
• Establishing a financial mechanism for building energy refurbishment in residential sectors, accelerating the decarbonization of homes effectively.
• Enforcing a refined and stored fossil fuel levy to fund the transition by those causing the most pollution (gas, oil, and coal industry).
• Ensuring the electricity system is efficient and 100% renewable by 2030, avoiding wasteful consumption, and guaranteeing that the implementation of the energy transition is respectful of people and biodiversity.