implementation Low Emission Zones (ZBE) It forms the main axis of the national strategy against climate change in many Spanish cities. But still, a large percentage of affected cities are struggling. For this reason, the Ombudsman initiated an ex officio lawsuit against 33 provinces due to the delay in the implementation of the Low Emission Zones required by the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law No. 7/2021 dated May 20.
The institution directed by Ángel Gabilondo reminded of Article 14 of the Law The standard mentioned above determines specific measures and deadlines. Public administrations encourage improvement of air quality by reducing emissions into the atmosphere. According to Europa Press, municipalities with a population of more than 50,000 must have established ZBE before January 1, 2023.
RelatedCases filed ex officio by the OmbudsmanHe emphasized that they met two criteria. Due to the number of people affected by pollution and the level of delay in processing, municipalities with a population of more than 50,000 whose municipal councils have not yet initiated procedures for declaring ZBEs, as in the Aranjuez case, will be investigated. and municipalities with a population of more than 300,000 that have not yet approved the process although it is ongoing.
The Ombudsman added that the second case concerned: Municipalities where “steps taken to adopt ZBEs have been or will be reversed”That the institution “became informed through the media, based on statements made by municipal representative bodies, competent bodies on environmental issues, political representatives or other similar bodies”.
Municipalities that do not comply
So total 18 municipalities have not started ZBE procedures yet: Aranjuez, Arganda de Rey, Coslada, Tres Cantos and Valdemoro in the Community of Madrid; Arona, Granadilla de Abona and San Cristóbal de la Laguna in Tenerife; Puerto de Santa María and San Lúcar de Barrameda in Cádiz; Baracaldo (Vizcaya), Calviá (Mallorca), Cerdanyola del Vallés (Barcelona), Ferrol (A Coruña), Mijas (Malaga), Motril (Granada), Orihuela (Alicante) and Telde (Gran Canaria).
For your part, They started the transactions of ZBE but were late In practice the City Council of Málaga, Murcia, Palma, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Bilbao, Alicante and Córdoba.
Finally, eight municipalities are suspending or revoking done so far: Badalona City Council (Barcelona), Valencia, Gijón, Valladolid, Castellón de la Plana (Castellón), Lorca (Murcia), Elche City Council (Alicante) and Majadahonda (Madrid).
Certainly the latter, in his statements to Europa Press, wanted to “categorically” deny this information, assuring that they were working on the implementation of Low Emission Zones. “We don’t understand why we are there because we have a sustainable mobility project. There is no political will to step back on this issue,” they said.
In this context, they remind that on 6 November they sent a letter to the Ombudsman conveying the municipality’s “commitment” to the creation of the Low Emission Zone.
In addition, the City Council adds that within the framework of the plan, the aid program for municipalities for the implementation of Low Emission Zones and the digital and sustainable transformation of urban transport has approved partial subsidies for five complementary projects for the creation of Low Emission Zones. Recovery, transformation and resilience issued by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda for a total amount of 1,140,920 euros.
Recently, the Ministry of Ecological Transition warned that municipalities that do not comply with their obligations to implement the ZBE could face the loss of large subsidies and other tax benefits.
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