Ecological Transition Opportunities: Analysis of the Spanish Case

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On 16 November, within the framework of the event Key Transformative Opportunities under the Green Transition, researchers at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, through the German Think Tank Agora Energiewende, presented a series of proposal to accelerate the transformation of industry towards a green economy under a Europe-wide project.

The initiatives were headed by the Comillas ICADE professor Isabel Figuerola Ferretti, and were presented along with Javier Sanz, student and researcher in the DBA programme. Sara Lumbreras and Rafael Cossent, who belong to the Technological Research Institute (IIT) at Comillas ICAI, also participated in the research that focussed on the economic sectors with the highest CO2 emissions.

The event was presented by Paloma Bilbao, Vice-Rector for Strategy, Innovation and International Affairs, who stated the importance of its contribution to the green transition. Following this, Claudio Baccianti, who is part of the well-known Think Tank, then contextualised the need for the objectives of the regulatory framework in the European transition process, highlighting the role of the recent Fit for 55 legislative package.

During the event, five expert panelists participated in revising content from the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC, in Spanish) and emphasised the transformative role of green hydrogen in the transition, as well as the need to increase proposals in the transport, electricity generation and building renovation sectors. In addition, they provided an analysis of the flagship initiatives, highlighting the need for cooperation between the different stakeholders to encourage the development of adequate investment and financial instruments.

Pedro Linares Llamas, Professor at Comillas ICAI and Research Associate at MIT CEEPR, was the first speaker on the panel and highlighted the importance of favouring reforms that maximise the generation of employment in the framework of industrial transformation, as well as the development of the necessary skills to apply the new technologies that support the green transition.

Likewise, Begoña Leyva, Director of Sustainability and Communication at the National Construction Confederation (CNC), pointed out the key role of the circular economy in the transition process within the context of the renovation sector.

This was followed by a presentation by Lola Gadea Rivas on the need to understand climate risks within Spain's geography. She is currently a professor and researcher at the Faculty of Economics at the Universidad de Zaragoza.

The European Commission was represented by Alejandro Blanco Fernández, Permanent Representative of the institution and current Financial Advisor to the Spanish Ministry of Finance, who highlighted the high percentage of absorption of European funds in Spain and analysed the differences between the different funds available to carry out the green transition. Similarly, European Civil Servant, Daniel Calleja, General Manager of the Legal Service, concluded by talking about the importance of energy security and independence and the resilience of the industry.

Agora Energiewende is an independent think tank committed to undertaking climate and energy objectives established by Germany and the European Union. It is promoted by the Breakthrough Energy Foundation, directed by Bill Gates.