Climate shared commitment. Francisco Hevia. Pascual Quality
The global climate change summit held in Paris from November 30 to December 11. If the opening had been just two weeks before, most of us have been surprised Spaniards in shirtsleeves. A wave of such prolonged and close to winter as we have just experienced the heat can be a perfect example of what is at stake with climate change example. No one questions the importance that our lives will be what decide the 195 participating countries in Paris for the next twelve days. Some people say that the Indian summer has always been around November 11 and it is no big deal. In fact, with so many studies and authoritative voices have been warning of the seriousness of the problem, look the other way now only serve to turn our head too late.
All media these days have included numerous articles, news, reports, information and studies on the need to make decisions in Paris. Something similar happened in Kyoto, in 1997, although few concrete results of the summit ended up disappointing the expectations of all. The important thing now is to achieve real and tangible agreements capable of being perceived and socially valued and awakening in government, business and society a genuinely shared commitment.
The scientific evidence is clear-cut and urge us to act according to the concrete possibilities of each. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, launched by the United Nations, warning that the current rate of emission of greenhouse gases, global average temperature will have risen by between four and five degrees Celsius at beginning of the next century. At that rate, the sea level will not fail to grow, and warming will intensify extreme weather events. Pass droughts to floods almost without interruption, as in other areas should prepare for more cyclones each year that passes.
There are data that have just known. I remember a thorough job and already a veteran of the Thematic Network CLIVAR in Spain. The participants included the University of Barcelona, the Higher Council for Scientific Research and other experts, who created the largest database to analyze the progress and effects of climate change in Spain. In all, a group of 120 independent scientists, who presented the study Climate Spain: past, present and future evaluation report of regional climate change requested by the Secretary of State for Climate Change, Ministry of Environment.
The conclusion was devastating: the Iberian Peninsula heats up faster than the rest of the northern hemisphere. Our handle heating is 50% higher than in our part of the world, and nearly three times the world average. Spanish cleave scenario posed as possible for the XXII century average temperatures of six degrees Celsius higher, with half the average rainfall and aridity risk of irreversible way in the middle of our territory. Also foresee a decline in rainfall throughout the year, higher in summer than in winter; the increase in extreme precipitation events, both dry episodes such as heavy rainfall, and an increase in the event of temperatures above 30 degrees centigrade, especially in the southern peninsular area.
If these threats are not enough to get going, I do not know what you can do. The shared commitment towards which we should aim is to mobilize everyone. It’s time to do everything in our power to react. For cite the case I know best, the quality Pascual, we have signed an agreement with EDF Fenice, Europe’s leading environmental energy services to optimize our use of energy in our complex of Aranda de Duero and Gurb.
We also collaborate in the initiative A million by the weather, which aims to reach as many shared commitments between the participating companies. We have set a fifth of reducing emissions from our vehicles (equivalent to 30,000 tons of carbon dioxide), and one-fifth the weight of our packaging and our energy and water consumption. They are modest initiatives, but in the effort to stop or at least mitigate climate change, it all adds up.
Francisco Hevia, director of Corporate Responsibility and Quality Communication Pascual
