Green ports: "There is no Green Revolution without the Blue Economy"

Andalusia is a unique region in Spain, bathed by a sea and an ocean, and boasting almost one thousand kilometres of coastline. Given these exceptional characteristics, its port activity is key and represents enormous potential and an important opportunity to invest and develop different sustainable projects that generate employment, wealth and, above all, that serve to preserve our environment and our oceans.

Ports are key infrastructures in the territories in which they are located, since not only do they help with the territorial cohesion of the area in which they are located, they also contribute to economic, social and cultural development.

Against this backdrop, the blue economy plays an important role in Andalusia and the aim of the Ministry of Sustainability, Environment and Blue Economy is to reinforce that role and promote it as an axis of sustainable development.

The blue economy is one of the pillars of the Ministry that I have the honour of leading and, among its activities, those involving the sea, the coast and port activity are worth particular mention. In this sense, the regional and state ports are a fundamental part of this economy, which generates employment and that, in addition, has massive potential when it comes to generating high-quality green employment.

So much so that this economy accounts for more than 10.5 percent of the Andalusian GDP, about 300,000 jobs in Andalusia, it is associated with about 17,000 million euros and has about 4,000 or 5,000 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Ports are logistics and innovation hubs that pose the challenge of moving towards a production model so that waste can be converted into new resources. To this end, it is essential we move towards a new production model, as reflected in the Andalusian Circular Economy Law.

We must commit to the transition towards green ports, where the circular economy will play an essential role in the efficient use of resources and decarbonisation, through the improvement of energy efficiency and the use of renewables. This will be key in combatting climate change and its adverse effects. And this is already a reality seen in many Andalusian ports.

The Public Ports Agency of Andalusia has promoted a Strategic Plan in which improving the environmental sustainability of the port system, also known as the 'Green Line', has been included as a strategic objective. This line was initially linked to the Ministry of Development and the Ministry of Sustainability is currently reinforcing, strengthening and continuing with this line, which is expected to be ready next year and which is aligned with the new approach of the Sustainable Development Strategy originally implemented by the European in 2001.

It includes a series of measures related to the circular economy, waste recovery, the reuse of materials, the implementation of renewable energy generation elements or the development of R&D&i actions to reduce the carbon footprint.

It is, after all, about being competitive, while having infrastructures that protect nature and the environment. To this end, energy management costs must be reduced and we must use energy more efficiently.

Furthermore, Andalusia is also aligned with European policies that promote the blue economy. So much so that the Ministry has developed the Andalusian Blue Economy Strategy, which is expected to be ready next year and which is aligned with the Sustainable Development Strategy that the European Union has had in place since 2001.

And one of the key points of this strategy is about making ports greener. To this end, it is essential to focus on sustainability, environmental digitalisation and energy efficiency. At the end of the day, it is about reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere and moving towards a more sustainable model from an economic, social and environmental point of view.

Andalusia has everything that is needed to be a lever for the development and a leader of the blue economy. Therefore, the Andalusian government and this Ministry are very clear about the need to continue working, hand in hand, with all the sectors and administrations involved so that Andalusia can set the benchmark in sustainability at an international level.

Since the start of our tenure, we have promoted and led the so-called Green Revolution, a project for the present and future and we all have to do our part. And we are clear that there is no Green Revolution without the Blue Economy.

We have potential and we have talent, so, between all of us, we must aspire to having a greener, bluer and, above all, more competitive Andalusia.