Spanish Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera praised on Tuesday the recent climate justice protest in Madrid, which gathered an estimated 500,000 people during the COP25 international climate conference, saying that governments should respond to such social outcry and establish a more effective climate action plan
MADRID (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th December, 2019) Spanish Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera praised on Tuesday the recent climate justice protest in Madrid, which gathered an estimated 500,000 people during the COP25 international climate conference, saying that governments should respond to such social outcry and establish a more effective climate action plan.
On December 6, the confederation of environmental groups Ecologists in Action organized the Climate March in the Spanish capital, which was joined by over half a million people, including Swedish teen eco-activist Greta Thunberg and members of environmental organizations Greenpeace and Alliance for Climate, and movements Rise For Climate and Fridays For Future.
"Thanks to those who are not here this morning, but who were out in the streets on the 6th [of December] ... It's been amazing and moving to see this real social outcry. People want more action, they want us to be faster, move further," Ribera said at the opening of the high-level segment at COP25.
The minister added that people were expecting concrete steps from their governments with regard to the fight against climate change.
"We need action, that's what people want us to do... We lost ten years, we have a challenge but it's a hopeful challenge. We have another ten years to also avoid climate change. Remember what our commitment was ten years ago, keeping global warming at 1,5 degrees [Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit]. We can do it by 2050 in Europe," Ribera stated.
In November, EU Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete announced that the European Union was aiming to become the first major "climate-neutral" economy by 2050. Apart from this long-term climate action strategy, the bloc has adopted binding packages of measures for 2020 and 2030. They include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency and switching to renewable energy sources.
"We need more ambitious contributions by 2020, and 2020 is in 20 days time," the Spanish minister said.
The 25th UN Climate Change Conference is being held in Madrid from December 2-13 and is chaired by Chile. Representatives from almost 200 countries are in attendance, and about 30,000 people were accredited to the event.
