In 1975 the United Nations declared June 5 World Environment Day to foster consciousness of the need to protect the environment and raise awareness of issues such as marine pollution, global warming, unsustainable consumption, or wildlife crime. This date coincides with the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm in 1972, from which emerged the United Nations Environment Programme.

In 2015, consensus was reached on the Sustainable Development Goals to achieve a more sustainable, fair and equitable planet by 2030, amongst which are the protection of the planet, the fight against climate change, and energy resources. Today, with ten years to go before that target date, there are many challenges and goals still to be met, such as the transition to a carbon-free energy model, the reduction of pollution and greenhouse gases.

If we have managed to make any progress in reaching those goals and on setting the ecological perspective at the centre of our political action, it has been thanks to the role that environmentalist social movements have played and continue to play in all corners of the world, highlighting the need for a global perspective on local issues. These movements, led today by young people, remind us that climate change is a reality we cannot ignore.

In 2020, we are also facing a serious global health crisis caused by a coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which highlights the importance of placing climate welfare and people at the centre of policy in order to prevent the crisis from being paid by the same victims as ever. The coronavirus crisis, like the climate crisis, is a sign that we need to coordinate the actions we take in a globalized world because our local actions have global consequences. We can't wait any longer, the earth demands it of us. We must save the planet!

This ecological revolution must make it possible to achieve the necessary and urgent global transformation of the way we live. The global transformations that this revolution entails implies decarbonizing everyday life and the economy, changing the energy model, and reducing and transforming waste. This crisis has made us aware, amongst other things, of the need for a more sustainable planet in order to enjoy healthy lives.

Esquerra Republicana, a republican, left-wing, green party, considers that in order to achieve these goals, it is essential we:

• Move towards a 100% renewable energy model, with greater efficiency, fostering self-consumption, intelligent grid management and the democratization of the energy market, free of monopolies and with fair prices.
• Further a waste management strategy committed to Zero Waste through the implementation of circular economy systems for the transformation of waste through ecodesign and innovative management processes.
• Ensure more efficient use of natural resources, making rational and territorially balanced use of these, including water, guaranteeing a minimum supply and recovering aquifers and environmental flows.
• Change the mobility system to lower the environmental impact of private vehicles through public transport and other models.
• Develop a strategy for the conservation and preservation of biodiversity and land as a key element to guarantee equal opportunities for all territories.