The World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Switzerland, has shifted the conversation from talk to tangible steps. In today’s climate of urgency, there is little room for hesitation. The canary in the coal mine is clear: regions like the Canary Islands are asking the European Union to exempt them from the emissions tax on air travel. Luis Alvarado, a senior adviser to the WEF Climate Team, warned that while biofuels exist, the uncertainties around their deployment can feel louder than the science itself.
Alvarado reminded audiences that Davos is designed to push economic actors toward concrete commitments. The agenda extends beyond fuels to include green cement, steel, and aluminum. If action stalls, it is often the price that blocks progress. He noted that many voices at COP26 in Glasgow last November pointed to cost as a major factor in pace.
The challenge, he explained, is to spark collaboration between the public and private sectors. Promoting cross-sector cooperation is an urgent priority, and Davos sessions underscored the need to channel investments into biofuels. When demand grows, production follows and prices are pressured downward. A Canarian leader born in 1989 and recognized last year by Nova Talent as one of Spain’s 111 most influential professionals highlighted that now is the moment to set clear timelines and accelerate green investment.
Both the Canarian government and opposition have signaled that the archipelago deserves specific timelines for implementing the air transport emissions tax. At a recent conference in Martinique, Elisa Ferreira, the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, indicated that in remote areas the tax would not apply before 2030, and only on routes linking these regions to the rest of their states. An inter-island grace period is anticipated, and Brussels appears prepared to accommodate it.
Yet regional president Angel Victor Torres argues for more. The Canary Islands rely heavily on tourism, so extending the exemption to flights bringing visitors—seen by many as vital to the local economy—has substantial appeal in business circles and governance alike.
Teresa Ribera, Spain’s Minister for the Ecological Transition, acknowledged during a visit to Santa Cruz de Tenerife that the Torres proposal raises questions. She noted that any inquiry from the autonomous community is reasonable, but moving from a remote and ultraperipheral status is not simple. The minister urged careful consideration of transport methods and related costs to avoid disadvantaging Canarian residents or weakening the competitiveness of the island’s accommodation sector.
Is the Canary Islands’ objective within reach? Nothing is ruled out, but Alvarado stressed that the forum’s emphasis remains on robust public-private collaboration to shape an investment framework that favors biofuels over today’s polluting alternatives.
The Forum’s climate program points to a need for rapid progress. The Canaries are seen as a potential testing ground for new technologies, though true implementation will take time. Alvarado stressed that while not all problems can be solved overnight, decisive action is essential. The message is clear: speed up, act now, and align policy with practical, market-driven solutions that can sustain the region’s economy and advance global climate goals.