Pedro Sánchez calls on parliamentary groups to contribute to and agree on the State Pact to tackle the Climate Emergency based on "responsibility and the general interest"

Circle of Fine Arts, Madrid

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, closes the event 'Moving Forward in the State Pact against the Climate Emergency' (Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, presented the State Pact to tackle the Climate Emergency, a "national agreement" and a "shield for Spain" made up of 15 key areas and 80 specific measures, for which he called on parliamentary groups to "contribute and continue improving the text based on responsibility and the general interest". He made this appeal during the closing of the event "Moving Forward with the State Pact to tackle the Climate Emergency," held at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, in which the Third Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, and the Minister for Home Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, also participated. The Minister for Housing and Urban Agenda, Isabel Rodríguez, also attended.

Pedro Sánchez indicated that the next step is to take the State Pact to Parliament so that it can be "debated, worked on, and, we hope, ratified." He appealed to all political groups to contribute to the text, with a direct appeal to the main opposition party, stating that "this Pact is not an electoral weapon, nor a campaign headline: it is a shield for Spain". "It is certainty for investments, security for families, and peace of mind for those who know that this challenge will not disappear in the next legislature. We want Spain, as one of the most exposed countries in Europe, to also be the best prepared", he added.

Appeal to "sensible Spain"

In his speech, he appealed to "sensible Spain" which, "however it votes and thinks, rightfully demands that consensus prevail" in "a task for everyone that transcends legislatures". "That majority reminds us that the response to this challenge cannot depend on who governs or on electoral cycles. It is everyone's responsibility", he added. This, he said, is the spirit that underpins the State Pact to tackle the Climate Emergency, a document that has been enriched by more than 3,800 contributions from 1,300 stakeholders, including experts from academia, agricultural organisations, business, and civil society, resulting in a "more ambitious and more robust" document.

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, together with the Third Vice-President and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen, upon their arrival at the event | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

In this regard, Pedro Sánchez maintained that "the best policies are those that last and endure because they are backed by social consensus", which is why they have managed to develop "a richer, more ambitious proposal that better reflects the sensitivities of all social groups, regions, administrations, and economic sectors". The document, he said, "places scientific knowledge at the heart of the strategy and highlights the adaptation of our societies to this emergency, as well as the demand from regional governments to update their programmes and plans for responding to the impacts of climate change".

It also adds a new focus on coastal and marine systems, emphasises the fight against climate misinformation, and incorporates a governance proposal that permanently institutionalises the participation of civil society.

State Network of Climate Shelters and guaranteeing water "today and tomorrow"

The head of the Executive highlighted the four fundamental pillars of the proposed State Pact, which include protecting lives in the face of climate emergencies. To this end, the State Network of Climate Shelters will be launched before next summer, making government buildings available to the public throughout the country. This will involve coordinating with existing networks in regions such as Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Murcia, and facilitating funding to create shelters in the most vulnerable neighbourhoods, where the heat hits hardest.

The second pillar focuses on "guaranteeing water today and tomorrow," which will be a "priority," for which efforts will be made to "reuse better, desalinate where necessary, invest in technology, plan land use and avoid risky uses in flood-prone areas, which is already a matter of national security".

Funding for flood and fire plans of small municipalities

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, attends the event along with several members of the Executive | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

The third focus will be on "caring for our countryside," with the Government strengthening agricultural insurance, supporting crop adaptation, and promoting a National Rural Green Jobs Plan. This will ensure that the fight against climate change also becomes an "opportunity for work, for staying in rural areas, and for a better future", especially in small municipalities. To this end, he announced that the Ministry for Ecological Transition will fund municipal flood prevention plans in municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants and will also allocate €20 million for fire prevention plans in these same small municipalities.

Finally, the fourth focus advances the principle that "science must be at the helm." The Government will create a National Panel of Climate Change Scientists so that "decisions are made based on data, models, and evidence, not on intuition or whims". The Executive will also propose a Monitoring Commission, working groups in the National Climate Council and the direct participation of the Conference of Presidents.

He regrets Europe's "historic mistake": "Protecting the climate is not an ideological whim"

Pedro Sánchez warned that "there is no economic growth, progress, or health when the climate becomes a risk factor," and, in the case of Spain, due to its geographical location, "it is on the front line of this threat", as the data reflects: in just five years, torrential rains have increased by 15%, with episodes like the DANA storm in Valencia; summers last an average of 55 days longer; "devastating droughts for our countryside" have been recorded; and Spain faces heat waves that "are no longer exceptional, but the new normal". In 2025 alone, fire has ravaged nearly 400,000 hectares, causing fatalities, biodiversity loss, and the evacuation of more than 30,000 people in hundreds of municipalities, the president lamented.

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, closes the event 'Moving Forward in the State Pact against the Climate Emergency' | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Although "facing this reality is painful", he believes that "it is the only honest starting point: recognising the problem is the first step in solving this enormous challenge", which has resulted in more than €12 billion in losses for Spain this year alone due to adverse weather events. Therefore, he urged action because it is "urgent" and "the most cost-effective and safest option for our future". "Protecting the climate is not an ideological whim, nor a hindrance to growth, but rather protecting prosperity, jobs, and infrastructure. What was approved yesterday is a historic mistake for Europe, because competitiveness is guaranteed by sustainability, not by weakening our commitments and our dedication to sustainability. It means, therefore, reducing future damage, avoiding losses of millions of euros, saving lives, and strengthening our collective security", he argued.

"Every euro invested in prevention, adaptation, and resilience means savings in reconstruction, compensation, and emergency response, and, of course, every euro invested saves lives. The costly thing is not taking action; the costly thing is not to do so," he stressed. "The climate emergency does not wait, history will not absolve inaction. The future of those who come after us is at stake. Let's do it together, before it is too late," he concluded.

Non official translation