Egunon everyone! To be honest, coming from Venezuela where environmental initiatives were very primitive, I always associated environmental consciousness to the United States and felt that as a country they had it all figured out. Today, having lived in the country for five years I can say that while there are a plethora of initiatives and movements, there is still so much to be done. On the other hand, I never associated Europe with environmental movements—although I knew about the Paris Accords. However, that only made me more surprised to see the incredible steps being taken by the Spanish people to be more environment friendly on the everyday lives.

Spain has made significant efforts to address environmental issues and promote sustainability in recent years. From passing a climate change law to implementing various initiatives and investing in green infrastructure, the Spanish government has demonstrated a commitment to combatting climate change. More importantly however, I have been the most surprised at how the Spanish people have also shown a strong sense of environmental consciousness, with various local initiatives and community efforts aimed at reducing waste, promoting recycling, and advocating for sustainable practices. In this regard, I have yet to be at a home or institution where waste is not divided in at least 3 or 4 categories: organic, plastic, paper, and glass. It is often hard to find general waste disposals, and this is something that has surprised me a lot. Additionally, it is not uncommon to see people using public transportation, bikes, or electric vehicles as a means of transport. Many often prefer it to driving a private vehicle, I feel like this would be impossible to say in the US. These efforts and initiatives indicate that environmental consciousness is a growing concern among the Spanish population, and their collective action and commitment to environmental issues are admirable.

Although I know climate change is treated as a pressing issue in Spanish politics, my program has been geared towards more historical policies regarding regional independence movements so I cannot share any policies with you. That being said, I can say with confidence that overall, the local community in Bilbao and the national government in Spain are actively engaged in efforts to promote sustainability and combat climate change. Education, legislation, and government initiatives are all important components of these efforts, and the topic of climate change remains a major issue in Spanish politics.

Hope this was helpful! See you next time!