Pedro Sánchez: "Let us all work together to establish a State Pact to tackle the climate emergency", which will enable us to be "better prepared and more ready"

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has travelled to the areas affected by the fire in La Vall d'Uixó (Castellón), where he has once again called for "us all to forge a State pact to tackle the climate emergency", enabling us to be "better prepared and more vigilant", so that our citizens can live more safely and to ensure steady progress across all regions of our country.

"In September last year, I put forward a proposal to all public authorities, social partners and political parties: we must heed the science and forge a broad national binding agreement on the climate emergency," he recalled. "An agreement that will enable us to strengthen our fire 'prevention' capabilities, so that the consequences are less severe and reconstruction and recovery take place much more quickly," he added.

Sánchez highlighted the "Government's commitment to the fire response", mobilising the resources of the National Civil Protection System in line with the scale of the fires; and in the "recovery" effort, through the Royal Decree-law to be approved tomorrow by the Council of Ministers, which will declare the areas affected by the fires to be zones seriously affected by civil protection emergencies. He also highlighted the importance of collaboration between public authorities: "We must work together on the response and reconstruction, but we must also do so when it comes to prevention," he insisted.

The head of the Executive has revealed that more than 170,000 hectares have now been burnt across Spain - six times more than at the same time last year - and that our country is currently battling around ten major fires.

He explained that "there are difficult times ahead", given the rise in temperatures over the coming days, and called for "patience and understanding from those citizens who are being evacuated from their homes or placed under lockdown", because "what we are doing is making decisions to protect these communities and, of course, to safeguard the lives of local residents". He has also called on the public to "exercise the utmost caution" and to pay close attention to information provided by institutions.

The president of the Government of Spain also took the opportunity during his address to thank the media, because, in these times of anxiety, the public "need accurate information" and it is important to "combat disinformation" and "hoaxes".

Non official translation