To combat climate change, which is being exacerbated by human activities and greenhouse gas emissions, it is essential to take concrete action to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C and to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

However, we are falling further and further short of the emission reduction targets needed to ensure a stable climate future:

• In 2023, global energy-related CO2 emissions increased by 1.1%, reaching an all-time high of 37.4 gigatonnes.
• Nonetheless, the growth of renewable energies has limited the rise in global emissions, meaning that tackling the climate crisis requires immediate action and a radical transformation in the way we deal with production and consumption across all sectors.
• Para alcanzar la neutralidad climática en 2050, la Unión Europea se plantea una segunda fase del Pacto Verde que recomienda reducir las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero en la UE en un 90% hasta 2040, respecto a los niveles de 1990. Previamente, la Unión Europea y sus Estados miembros se han comprometido a reducir las emisiones netas de gases de efecto invernadero en al menos un 55 % con respecto a los valores de 1990 de aquí a 2030.

As part of the traditional economic model, products that end their life cycle in landfills generate serious environmental problems that affect the land, water and air due to factors including but not limited to the release of greenhouse gases.

This model has led to each person generating 442 kg of waste per year, involving a high environmental cost. Society must therefore make a commitment to urgently readdress appropriate waste recovery to avoid a potential environmental meltdown:

• The rate of circular use of materials in Spain has worsened over time, falling by 3.3 percentage points from 10.4% in 2010 to 7.1% in 2022.
• The overall generation of municipal solid waste is expected to increase from 2.3 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes in 2025.
• A total of 40% of the world’s waste goes to landfill or open burning.
• Activities related to the recycling and recovery of materials account for 1.9% of GDP and 2.3% of employment in Spain.

As the population grows exponentially, the amount of waste generated continues to increase, exacerbating the problem. Therefore, the transition towards more sustainable and circular economic models (e.g. through different uses of waste, such as biofuels, biofertilisers, pet food, etc.) is necessary to reverse environmental damage and ensure a prosperous future, with more investment in R&D, eco-design, innovation and eco-innovation.