SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Nov. 6 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Minister of Ecological Transition and Energy of the Government of the Canary Islands, Mariano H. Zapata, presented today, Monday, in a parliamentary committee, the budget of his area for the year 2024, which amounts to 295,728,649 million euros and which will be aimed at alleviating the energy emergency situation suffered by the islands and the implementation of policies for sustainable development.
During his speech, Mariano H. Zapata pointed out that this budget, which grows by 57.49% compared to 2023, “consolidates the objective of clearly and effectively combating the energy deficit situation that the archipelago has, in addition to betting on “real solutions in the fight to combat climate change. All this without forgetting that the Canary Islands must continue to grow thanks to the drive of its business fabric, making decisions that go hand in hand with administrations such as councils and town councils.”
Likewise, the counselor highlighted the relevance of these accounts in the overall general budgets of the autonomous community for 2024, which go from representing 1.94% of the total to 2.75%. “This increase of 0.81% highlights the importance that this Ministry has within the Executive, which translates into greater economic support for many of our programs,” declared Zapata.
ALLIGATING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
By department, the Vice-Ministry of Ecological Transition and Energy will reinforce all those Climate Change projects that allow us to better understand the problems faced by the islands and the possible solutions in this regard. Thus, the Vice-Ministry will go from having 1.6 to 4.2 million euros distributed in various projects such as the analysis of the progressive rise in sea level or the implementation of sustainable projects such as the Piedra Hincada park in Tenerife. .
As a complement to this, support is also planned with a sum of 1.5 million euros for councils and town councils to carry out projects included in the Canary Islands Climate Action Strategy that allow them to adapt to the effects of climate change.
On the other hand, in a bid to involve and raise awareness among citizens about actions against climate change, the Ministry will allocate an amount of 880,000 euros to consolidate the Green Offices of the Canary Islands. Spaces that offer information, answers and personalized services to any person, entity, administration or company in the archipelago that wants information on renewable energies, energy efficiency and ecological transition.
ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND NATIONAL PARKS.
In the energy field, in order to alleviate the effects of the energy emergency, subsidies from the Feder Funds will be increased by 2024, from 10 to 14 million euros. Items that will be allocated to energy efficiency plans, renewable energies, sustainable mobility or electrical storage, destined for four sectors: companies, residential sector, public administration sector and energy communities sector and third sector entities.
Within the Ministry’s line, work related to the Canary Islands Energy Transition Plan (PTECan-2030) and other planning actions will continue to be developed with a total of 584,000 euros.
The allocation allocated to National Parks, with a total budget of 21,504,695, increases more than 11% compared to 2023. In this area, actions are carried out aimed at the conservation of the natural environment and the improvement and maintenance of the infrastructures of the national parks dependent on the Ministry (Garajonay National Park, Timanfaya National Park and La Caldera de Taburiente National Park).
Within the framework of this conservation of natural spaces, and after the serious forest situation that the Canary Islands have endured with the recent fires, 3.1 million euros will be allocated from the budget for the Canary Islands Forest Plan in the year 2024, through of transfers to the Island Councils.
On the other hand, consolidation actions, restoration of the land and recovery of biodiversity will be carried out in the areas affected by the fires, with a budget of 1.5 million euros that includes the reinforcement of the preventive work that carried out by the Forest Fire Intervention and Reinforcement Teams (EIRIF), dependent on this Ministry.
In terms of the circular economy and discharges into the sea, more than 1.8 million euros will be allocated for the execution of strategic projects that allow progress towards the circularity of the economy and the budget items for the management of authorizations for discharges into the sea will be maintained. in line with the Land-Sea Discharge Mitigation Plan which amounts to 500.00 euros.
