The Basque Country presents its Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement and reinforces its commitment to climate action

15/12/2025

The document sets out the climate commitments that each country has made to meet the goals of limiting global warming. 

The Basque Government has presented the Basque Country's Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement, a strategic document that defines the Basque Country’s goals and measures to contribute to global efforts to combat climate change in the short and medium term. The Basque Country reaffirms its commitment to move towards a carbon-neutral, resilient and fair economic, energy and social model, in line with Law 1/2024 on Energy Transition and Climate Change, which establishes clear obligations for Basque institutions in climate issues. 

This law sets a target of climate neutrality by 2050, with a commitment to making the necessary effort to bring this forward to 2045, and an intermediate goal of a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2005. These targets represent an increase in ambition compared to previous commitments, such as the Klima 2050 Strategy, and they are in line with the recommendations of the European Union and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to limit the global warming to 1.5 °C. 

To achieve these goals, the Basque Country is working on the Long-Term Roadmap and Strategy for Energy Transition and Climate Change 2030, which is currently in process and defines the intermediate targets and strategic lines for mitigation, adaptation and a just transition, updating previous strategies and plans. 

Basque context: progress and challenges 

The document highlights that the Basque Country has managed to decouple economic growth from emissions, reducing its emissions by 24% since 1990 while GDP has increased by 67% thanks to the measures adopted. This progress has been made possible through improved efficiency, progressive electrification and the transition towards cleaner energy. 

Even so, the territory faces significant challenges due to its high industrial intensity, the limited availability of its own renewable energies and the insufficient pace of renewable deployment. To progress towards the targets set, the NDC outlines an integrated package of mitigation, energy transition and adaptation measures. 

In the field of adaptation, the document underlines the Basque Country's commitment to reducing climate vulnerabilities, deploying nature-based solutions and improving urban resilience. In this context, the deployment of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change stands out, through the implementation of projects such as LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050, coordinated by Ihobe, which promotes actions in terms of adaptation, mitigation and climate governance throughout the territory; work in the different international collaboration networks, such as Under2 Coalition or Regions4; or the implementation of the KAIA initiative, a pioneering strategy by the Basque Government that coordinates the different Basque administrations to reinforce territorial resilience against the impact of climate change through demonstration projects. 

Priority measures and approaches 

The main lines of action included in the Basque NDC include: 

• Energy efficiency and savings in all sectors. 
• Electrification of the economy and promotion of the renewable generation.  
• Industrial decarbonisation through efficiency, innovation and clean technologies. 
• Decarbonisation of transport: electrification, sustainable public transport, active mobility. 
• The circular economy to drive a reduction in emissions and efficient use of resources. 
• Increasing the resilience of the territory: protection of the natural environment, sustainable primary sector, adaptation of infrastructures and the urban environment, health prevention and protection against risks derived from Climate Change, comfortable and healthy environments, etc. 
• Strengthening and updating of early warning systems and emergency plans. 
• The integration of climate justice and just transition criteria into public policies. 
• Strengthening climate governance, with the involvement of the Basque Government, provincial councils, town halls, companies and citizens. 

Transparency and Monitoring 

The NDC of the Basque Country is based on the regional emissions inventory and on methodologies recognised by the IPCC. It also establishes regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to monitor progress and ensure consistency with European and international frameworks. 

With this contribution, the Basque Country reaffirms its willingness to play an active role in global climate action and to move towards an energy and economic model that is low-carbon, resilient and aligned with the needs of present and future generations.