Valencia unveils new climate strategy, Climate-KIC delegation attends launch

Spain’s Valencian Region, which hosts one of Climate-KIC’s regional centres, has launched a new strategy to fight climate change.

The launch event last week (16 January) was attended by a Climate-KIC delegation including Governing Board chair Hans Joachim Schellnhuber. The new strategy, which is in line with Climate-KIC’s mission, was presented by Alberto Fabra, president of the regional government.

The plan commits to reduce emissions by 2020, increase the use of renewable energy and increase energy efficiency by 20%. Schellnhuber, speaking at the event, recognised the dynamism and promising perspectives of the Valencian Region. Valencia’s strategy includes hundreds of measures to specifically promote public transport and energy efficiency in buildings.

Regional centre

Climate-KIC’s centre in Valencia - located on the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula – intends to lead innovation policy and practice on climate change at the regional level. The centre promotes the transition to a low-carbon economy through business development and engages with over twenty affiliated partners from the business, research, education and public sectors. Alberto Fabra stressed that Valencia is one of the most active regions in Climate-KIC’s professional placement programme Pioneers into Practice. Valencia is European coordinator of the programme.