The Climate Change and Energy Transition Law, which was approved by Congress yesterday and will enter into force the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE), is an ambitious plan aligned with community policies to drastically reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The objective of cutting at least 23% of CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels involves establishing various very specific measures in the field of mobility.
The progressive elimination of the circulation of internal combustion vehicles and the creation of Low Emission Zones (ZBE) in municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants and island territories are some of the challenges posed by the new regulations and which will be implemented in a gradual. Hence, a route plan has been designed that culminates in 2050, the year in which it has been set for Spain to achieve climate neutrality, that is, that greenhouse gas emissions are equal to or less than those that are eliminated through the natural absorption of the planet.
The Climate Change Law will put a stop to polluting emissions
Starting in 2040, new gasoline, diesel, and non-plug-in hybrids will not be able to sell passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. With this, the Government hopes to achieve a sustainable car fleet by 2050, without carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Environmental groups had called for the deadline to stop selling internal combustion motor vehicles be brought forward to 2035, but their proposal was unsuccessful.
Municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants will also have to establish LEZs if their air quality is poor.
At the same time, the law provides for the introduction of measures to promote ecological urban mobility in municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants in 2023, at the latest. These measures include the creation of low emission zones in these towns, such as those currently in force in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, which were pioneers in this section.
Read also
The introduction of ZBE will affect – according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) – 149 Spanish localities, including the Balearic and Canary Islands and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, where more than 24 million people reside, that is , 52% of the inhabitants of our country. Municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants should also have them if their air quality is poor.
Cities with LEZs in 2023
Inhabitants in 2020
1
Andalusia
Alcala de Guadaira: 75,533
Algeciras: 123.078
Almeria: 201,322
Benalmádena: 69.144
Cádiz: 115.439
Chiclana de la Frontera: 85,150
Córdoba: 326.039
Two Sisters: 135,050
El Ejido: 83,758
The Port of Santa María: 88,703
Estepona: 70.228
Fuengirola: 82,837
Granada: 233.648
Huelva: 143,837
Jaén: 112.757
Jerez de la Frontera: 213,105
The Line of the Conception: 63,630
Linares: 57.353
Málaga: 578.460
Marbella: 147.633
Mijas: 85.397
Motril: 58.460
Roquetas de Mar: 98,433
San Fernando: 95,001
Sanlucar de Barrameda: 69,205
Sevilla: 691.395
Torremolinos: 69.166
Utrera: 50.962
Velez Malaga: 82,365
2
Aragon
Huesca: 53.956
Zaragoza: 681.877
3
Asturias
Aviles: 77,791
Gijón: 271.717
Oviedo: 219,910
Serum: 51.509
4
Baleares
Calvià: 51,710
Ibiza: 51,128
Palma de Mallorca: 422,587
5
Canary Islands
Arona: 82.777
Arrecife: 64.645
Granadilla de Abona: 51,233
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: 381,223
San Bartolomé de Tirajana: 53,397
San Cristóbal de La Laguna: 158,911
Santa Cruz de Tenerife: 209,194
Santa Lucia de Tirajana: 74,602
Counted: 102,791
6
Cantabria
Santander: 173.375
Torrelavega: 51.597
7
Castile and Leon
Ávila: 58.369
Burgos: 176.418
Lion: 124,028
Palencia: 78.144
Ponferrada: 64.509
Salamanca: 144.825
Segovia: 52.057
Valladolid: 299.265
Zamora: 60.988
8
Castilla la Mancha
Albacete: 174.336
Ciudad Real: 75,504
Cuenca: 54.621
Guadalajara: 87.484
Talavera de la Reina: 83,663
Toledo: 85.811
9
Catalonia
Badalona: 223,166
Barcelona: 1.664.182
Castelldefels: 67,460
Cerdanyola del Vallès: 57,855
Cornellà de Llobregat: 89,936
El Prat de Llobregat: 65,385
Girona: 103.369
Granollers: 62.419
L’Hospitalet de Llobregat: 269,382
Lleida: 140,403
Manresa: 78,245
Mataró: 129,661
Mollet del Vallès: 51,600
Reus: 106.168
Ruby: 78,591
Sabadell: 216,520
Sant Boi de Llobregat: 84,500
Sant Cugat del Vallès: 92,977
Santa Coloma de Gramenet: 120,443
Tarragona: 136.496
Terrace: 223,627
Viladecans: 67,197
Vilanova i la Geltrú: 67,733
10
Madrid’s community
Alcala de Henares: 197,562
Alcobendas: 118.417
Alcorcón: 172.384
Aranjuez: 60,332
Arganda del Rey: 56,678
Boadilla del Monte: 56,734
Collado Villalba: 64,378
Colmenar Viejo: 51,938
Coslada: 81,391
Fuenlabrada: 194.514
Getafe: 185.180
Leganes: 191,114
Madrid: 3.334.730
Majadahonda: 72.155
Móstoles: 210,309
Speak: 133.482
Pinto: 53.325
Pozuelo de Alarcón: 87,165
Rivas Vaciamadrid: 90,973
Las Rozas de Madrid: 96,113
San Sebastián de los Reyes: 91,224
Torrejón de Ardoz: 132,853
Valdemoro: 77.270
11
Valencian Community
Alicante: 337,482
Alcoi: 59,354
Benidorm: 70.450
Castellón de la Plana: 174,264
Elche: 234.765
Elda: 52.813
Gandia: 75.798
Orihuela: 78,505
Paternal: 71,035
Sagunto: 67,173
San Vicente del Raspeig: 58,978
Torrent: 83.962
Torrevieja: 84.667
Valencia: 800.215
Royal village: 51,293
12
Estremadura
Badajoz: 150.984
Cáceres: 96,255
Merida: 59,548
13
Galicia
A Coruña: 247,604
Ferrol: 65,560
Lugo: 98,519
Ourense: 105,643
Pontevedra: 83,260
Santiago de Compostela: 97,848
Vigo: 296.692
14
The Rioja
Logroño: 152.485
15
Murcia
Cartagena: 216.108
Lorca: 95.515
Molina de Segura: 73,095
Murcia: 459.403
16
Navarra
Pamplona: 203.944
17
Basque Country
Baracaldo: 101.486
Bilbao: 350.184
Getxo: 77.770
Irún: 62.910
San Sebastian: 188,240
Vitoria: 253.996
18
Ceuta and melilla
Ceuta: 84.202
Melilla: 87.07
In addition to implementing restricted mobility areas for vehicles with the DGT environmental label, cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants must facilitate travel associated with healthy lifestyles (on foot, by bicycle, on electric scooters …) and establish green corridors. interurban to encourage these practices.
The new law requires municipalities to promote sustainable mobility, reinforcing public transport and journeys on foot or by bike
Likewise, the law provides that the municipalities of these localities must adopt measures to improve and electrify the public transport network, promote the use of private electric means of transport -including recharging points-, as well as promote shared electric mobility. With regard to the distribution of goods, the bet must be focused on sustainable mobility.
The carbon dioxide emitted mainly by internal combustion vehicles is not the only gas that is harmful to the environment. Other emissions that have a strong impact on the greenhouse effect are methane and nitrous oxide, as well as hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.
–
