“The challenge of decarbonisation in Spain is greater than in the rest of Europe”

Director Iñigo Bertrand explains in a talk organized by IESE, called “Confronting Climate Change: Decarbonization Strategies for Different Types of Companies.”

Climate guidelines have accelerated in recent times as a response to address climate change. In this sense, Europe has set itself the goal of being a pioneer in achieving a Net Zero environment by 2050. As explained by Iñigo Bertrand, CEO of Edison Next, “in the case of Spain, we have set ourselves very ambitious goals both in the medium and in the long term, so the challenge we face is even greater than in the more developed countries of Europe”.

This roadmap designed from Europe lays the foundations for achieving a decarbonised economy, which in Spain represents a 23% reduction in emissions, according to the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) 2021-2030. This objective, following the latest European guidelines (Fit for 55%), is pending to be raised to accelerate the transition towards cleaner energies.

Based on these data, Spain is at a complex starting point to embark on the journey towards decarbonisation. A fact that is due to the fact that we emit approximately the same number of tons of CO2, a total of 300 million, as, in 1990, the year that Europe takes as a reference to set decarbonisation objectives.

In this sense, as the manager has pointed out, “both the business fabric and Spanish society have many obstacles to overcome”. And it is that, despite all the machinery that is being put into operation from Europe both with the Green Deal, or more recently, with the Next Generation funds that focus on the energy transition, “it is necessary that 4 out of 5 euros come from private capital to achieve the objectives of decarbonisation”, Bertrand explained.

To tackle this journey to decarbonization, companies must determine their objectives and define their strategy by analyzing multiple variables such as the regulatory framework, technological evolution and the market context, with energy prices that have experienced unprecedented volatility.

Edison Next is committed to a “Net Zero” strategy for its clients, which combines environmental and economic sustainability. “We have an inescapable destiny that is the complete decarbonization of our economy and four possible paths: energy efficiency, renewable energies, circular economy and compensation. However, the only answer that we find at Edison Next to tackle the decarbonisation process successfully is the optimal combination of the four solutions”, explains Bertrand.

A whole series of strategies and alternatives to address decarbonization and meet the objectives set out both at the European and national levels, which were discussed in the IESE Alumni session “Confronting Climate Change: Decarbonization Strategies for Different Types of Companies” . A talk that has had the participation of Juan Luis Lopez Cardenete, Professor of Strategy at the prestigious business school, and Iñigo Bertrand, CEO of Edison Next.