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The OECD Environmental Performance Review Programme provides independent assessments of countries’ progress in achieving their domestic and international environmental policy commitments, together with policy relevant recommendations. This report is the third OECD review of Spain’s environmental performance. It evaluates progress towards sustainable development and green growth, with a focus on biodiversity and the environmental performance of the private sector.
Reviews are conducted to promote peer learning, enhance governments’ accountability to each other and to the public, and improve countries’ environmental performance, individually and collectively. They are supported by a broad range of economic and environmental data. Each cycle of the Environmental Performance Reviews covers all OECD member countries and selected partner countries. The most recent reviews include: Iceland (2014), Sweden (2014), Colombia (2014).
This chapter reviews Spain’s efforts to mainstream environmental considerations into economic policy and promote the greening of the economy. It analyses the use of taxation policy to pursue environmental objectives and progress in removing fiscal incentives that can encourage environmentally harmful activities. The chapter also examines Spain’s efforts to promote renewable energy and to improve energy efficiency. The role of the environmental goods and services sector as a source of employment and green growth is also discussed. Finally, it examines the country’s eco-innovation performance and R&D spending, as well as efforts to mainstream the environment into development co-operation programmes.
Spain’s industrial sector has a smaller environmental footprint than most other European countries and is a leader in environmental management systems. However, as the economy recovers, environmental pressures are likely to increase. This chapter examines government and private sector initiatives to manage the industrial sector’s impact on the environment. A selection of policies that aim to strengthen the environmental performance of businesses and to enforce compliance are reviewed. These include the use of economic instruments and environmental management systems.
Spain has made significant progress in overall environmental performance since 2000. This chapter provides a snapshot of key environmental trends in Spain over the past decade. It highlights some of the main environmental achievements and remaining challenges on the path towards a greener economy. The chapter describes Spain’s progress in reducing the carbon, energy and material intensities of its economy; in managing its natural asset base; and in improving the environmental quality of life.
This chapter reviews Spain’s efforts to significantly strengthen its policy framework for the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity. Following a description of the status, trends and pressures on Spain’s biodiversity, this chapter reviews the country’s progress in establishing key legislation to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. It also discusses the expansion of Spain’s terrestrial and marine protected areas, the management tools in place, as well as the main trends in financing biodiversity. Finally, the chapter examines the integration of biodiversity considerations into other sectors, such as agriculture and tourism.
Spain is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, with stunning coastal and terrestrial landscapes. From 2000, the Spanish economy was one of the most dynamic within the OECD, until the global economic crisis hit the country hard. The economy has since shown signs of stabilising and recovery programmes have opened up opportunities for greener, more sustainable growth.
This third OECD Environmental Performance Review of Spain assesses progress achieved since the last review carried out in 2004. It demonstrates the impressive progress made in many aspects of environmental performance, including declines in the carbon, energy and resource intensity of the economy, as well as the significant expansion of protected natural areas. Overall, the Spanish population is satisfied with the quality of its environment.
Over the last decade, Spain has continued to strengthen its environmental policy framework and improve co-ordination in a highly decentralised context. This chapter examines Spain’s environmental governance and policy framework for environmental management. It reviews the main strategies and initiatives that were launched during the past decade in the areas of sustainable development and environmental management. It also discusses the mechanisms in place to improve horizontal and vertical co-ordination, as well as the instruments used to ensure compliance with environmental requirements. Progress in promoting environmental democracy through open access to information and improved public participation in decision making is also discussed.