PS and PAN intend to create a climate action regime in the Azores, provided that the archipelago achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 and a renewable production rate of 80% by 2035, it was announced on Tuesday.
The regional legislative decree, which has already been delivered to the Legislative Assembly, was presented this day at a press conference at the regional parliament delegation in Ponta Delgada, by the PS deputy Vílson Ponte Gomes and by the sole PAN parliamentarian, Pedro Neves .
The socialist deputy stressed that this regime establishes “ambitious goals” and “concrete goals” to “combat” climate change.
“Ambitious goals are increasingly required, which can demonstrate a just transition towards a carbon-neutral economy”, stressed Vílson Ponte Gomes.
The proposed regime says that “the Autonomous Region of the Azores must achieve climate neutrality in 2045, which translates into a neutral balance between greenhouse gas emissions and the sequestration of these gases by the various sinks.”
The initiative also argues that the “planning instruments must foresee a scenario in advance of the climate neutrality objective for 2040” and that the Government of the Azores can “establish intermediate and sectoral objectives for the reduction of gas emissions”.
In December 2019, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal, which aims for the European Union to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Also in 2019, the Government of the Republic presented, at the national level, the roadmap for Carbon Neutrality 2050.
In the proposed climate action regime for the Azores, “production targets” of energy “from renewable sources”: 55% in 2025, 70% in 2030 and 80% in 2035.
Vílson Ponte Gomes reinforced that “as of 2035, the Azores must reach the objective of 80% of electricity production from renewable or indigenous energy sources”.
“The challenge is great. We all have that notion, but also our confidence. We are not going off the rails. Our regional legislative decree project is ambitious, but the ambition of the Government of the Azores must also be”, underlined the socialist.
The initiative aimsdecarbonization of the road fleetof the region (Government, Assembly and public companies), arguing that the use of “light electric vehicles or vehicles powered by renewable gases or other fuels that do not emit greenhouse gases” must reach 5% in 2025, at 10 % in 2030, 25% in 2035 and 50% in 2040.
The regime provides for the creation of a Climate Action Policy Monitoring Commission to “follow up public climate action policies” and the development of a Regional Climate Change Program, the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality and the Regional Strategy Adaptation to Climate Change.
“We need profound changes in the sectors of electricity production, in the area of transport and mobility of people and goods, agriculture, fishing, animal production, water resources, the sea and the marine environment”, said the leader of the PAN/Azores . .
Pedro Neves also criticized the Regional Government (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) for having an Environment Secretariat “committed to reducing carbon emissions” while the Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructure Secretariat “welcomes the growth in traffic ships”. the region”.
Both deputies assumed that the “synergy” between the two parties could “work on other issues.”
“The PAN is neither left nor right. For us, what really matters are the urgent needs of the Azores”, concluded the sole deputy of the PAN.
Source: Observadora
