Spain Approves Ambitious II Circular Economy Action Plan with €1.885 Billion Investment
Spain launches a €1.885 billion circular economy plan with 105 measures aiming for sustainability and industrial competitiveness by 2030.
- • Spain approved the II Plan de Acción de Economía Circular with 105 measures and nearly €1.885 billion investment.
- • The plan focuses on production sustainability, responsible consumption, waste management, secondary raw materials, and water reuse.
- • It includes transversal themes like governance, just transition, demographic challenges, and gender equality.
- • Public participation contributed 1,441 inputs from 79 stakeholders, emphasizing broad societal involvement.
Key details
The Spanish Government has officially approved the II Plan de Acción de Economía Circular (PAEC), a comprehensive initiative aimed at accelerating Spain’s transition to a circular and decarbonized economy. The plan entails 105 measures backed by an investment of approximately €1.885 billion and involves coordination among 12 ministries and over 40 directorates.
The PAEC is strategically aligned with the broader Spanish Circular Economy Strategy for 2030 and the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (PRTR). It is founded upon five main action axes: production, consumption, waste management, secondary raw materials, and water reuse. Key production measures emphasize eco-design, product durability, reparability, and the reduction of non-renewable resource consumption. Responsible consumption is targeted to reduce ecological footprints and to shift from the traditional linear 'extract, produce, consume, dispose' model.
Waste management introduces an innovative international cooperation component aimed at enhancing global waste hierarchy strategies. Efforts on secondary raw materials seek to reintegrate materials into production, thereby limiting the extraction of virgin resources. Water reuse is also a priority, with measures promoting the sustainable and efficient use of this vital resource.
Beyond the core axes, the plan incorporates three transversal dimensions focusing on governance, just transition, demographic challenges, and gender equality, acknowledging the societal context within which these environmental efforts operate. Public participation was robust, with 1,441 contributions from 79 stakeholders shaping the plan.
The government has emphasized the critical role this plan plays in boosting Spain’s industrial competitiveness, creating quality jobs, and fostering societal commitment to sustainability. Successful implementation requires coordinated action among public administrations, the private sector, civil society, and consumers alike.
This initiative marks a pivotal step for Spain towards sustainable economic growth and global ecological responsibility by 2030.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
