This document is the fourth edition of the strategic environmental monitoring reports that the Basque Ecodesign Center produces based on the knowledge acquired through its monitoring system. Its aim is to compile the latest regulatory and market developments driving the transition towards a decarbonised, more circular economy.
'Mobiles for the Earth' is a project focused on the systematic recovery, awareness, and reduction of mobile phone consumption. It involves collecting out-of-use phones and tablets for refurbishment and subsequent resale, if possible, or sending them to authorized managers specialized in metal recovery, especially gold and other components. This action will continue until January 31, 2025.
7Rs of the circular economy: renew, recycle, recover, redesign, reduce, reuse, and repair
This week, the Basque Government is taking part in the Climate Week NYC as an active member of the Under2 Coalition, in the international gatherings of the subnational leaders committed to accelerating climate action. The Basque Country has also taken part in the panel organised by Regions4, the network of regional governments of which it is also a member.
The Under2 Coalition today launched Next Generation Budgets: Transforming State and Regional Budgets for Net Zero. The report provides a blueprint for subnational governments to ensure public spending is aligned with climate goals through green budgeting.
The Basque Country today hosted a European meeting on green budgets, during which it shared its experience of including energy and climate perspectives in government budgets, alongside representatives from the regions of Baden-Württemberg (Germany) and Lombardy (Italy).
The event was organised as part of the European Commission's Technical Support Instrument (SG Reform), and brought together budget planning and environmental managers from the three regions, along with specialists from SDA Bocconi, the FiFo Institute and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
Ihobe was at the Procura+ Seminar, Europe’s largest sustainable public procurement forum. The event, organised by ICLEI, the Local Governments for Sustainability Network, was held in the Netherlands on 8 and 9 October; it gathered over 100 people from four continents together to search for common solutions to the main challenges of green procurement.
The meeting took place at a particularly key moment in Europe given the revision of the Public Procurement Directive in the pipeline. The European Investment Bank presented a report on circular public procurement at the event.
The United Nations (UN Climate Champions) has this month recognised the Basque Country as one of the leading regions in climate resilience worldwide. The accolade is thanks to the RegionsAdapt initiative, coordinated by the Regions4 network, which has highlighted the Basque Government’s commitment to environmental innovation. The Basque Country has been included as an inspirational case study, along with others including Catalonia, Scotland, Jalisco (Mexico), Lombardy (Italy) and South Australia.
On 16 and 17 October, the Basque Country will host the XV Forum of the Autonomous Communities on Contaminated Land, a technical meeting that brings together experts from the autonomous communities to share progress, challenges and experiences in soil conservation.
The Basque Country continues moving towards climate neutrality. According to the progress report presented today by the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory for 2024, the autonomous community has emitted 15.8 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, representing a reduction of 1% compared to the previous year and 38% compared to 2005. This positive development has occurred in a context of economic growth, with GDP increasing by 2.2% in the same period.
Ihobe, the Basque Government’s environmental management agency, has set up a trailblazing work to foster nature-based solutions (NBS) in the Basque Country. This group – made up of over 40 stakeholders from the whole value chain – has embarked on an intense participatory process.