Spain uses economic boom and demographics as pollution excuse | When it comes to the environment, Spain is the China of Europe. According to the government, population growth and the economic boom of the last ten years are making it very difficult for Spain to fulfill pollution emission limits and other environmental obligations set by the European Union.

This admission appears in the second National Plan on compliance with European environmental directives, which the national Environment Ministry sent out to the regional authorities earlier this month. The Ministry notes that limits set for 2010 do have to be complied with, but will request less restrictive terms in future negotiations.

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The government justifies the disappointing data (in nitrogen oxides, pollution is actually increasing instead of diminishing) by saying “the period for compliance with emissions reduction is coinciding with a cycle of continued and intense economic growth […] along with a significant population increase.” To reduce nitrogen oxides it is essential to control consumption of gasoline, as well as coal or gas-fueled electricity production.

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