COP26: IBERDROLA AT THE 2021 CLIMATE CONFERENCE

"The summit begins today"

After COP26 in Glasgow, the Spanish newspaper El País published an opinion piece by the chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, under the title The summit begins today, in which he argued that "now the real task begins: to take on our obligation towards future generations with specific actions".

International experts debate the role of trade policy in the fight against climate change

A group of renowned world experts discussed at the Climate Summit, along with the legal team of ScottishPower — Iberdrola group's UK subsidiary —, the pivotal role played by trade policies in the fight against climate change.

Galán urges a move from promises to action at COP 26

Ignacio Galán participated in the Caring for Climate meeting organised as part of COP26, of which the company is a patron. This is an initiative of the United Nations Global Compact, the United Nations Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to enhance the role of business in tackling climate change. The chairman also held a meeting with young people to discuss how they perceive the problem of climate change and to listen to their proposals.

Sturgeon: "Iberdrola sets an example for green hydrogen production and the decarbonisation of the country"

In a meeting held within the framework of the Climate Summit, the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, conveyed this message to the chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, to whom she also expressed her confidence and satisfaction with the work carried out by the company in the country: "We have known each other for more than 15 years and you have always kept your word and your support for Scotland and the Scottish people. We are very pleased with your presence and your commitment to the people of Scotland." Iberdrola submitted an application a few months ago to build a green hydrogen plant, to be developed alongside its Whitelee wind farm, which will include the UK's largest electrolyser, with 20 MW.

John Kerry and Ignacio Galán highlight the fundamental value of business in achieving climate goals

The former Secretary of State and current US Special Climate Envoy, John Kerry, and Ignacio Galán have highlighted the importance of the private sector in helping countries achieve their climate and decarbonisation goals. Kerry held a meeting in Glasgow, in the framework of COP26, with CEO of large companies that have made a great contribution to the United States in this purpose, among them, the head of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán. The group is contributing to this green transition, leading the development of offshore wind energy and being the third largest player in onshore wind.

Galán conveys his commitment to Andalusia to Juan Manuel Moreno: we will triple our renewable capacity in the region

Commitment to the energy transition and to a cleaner community. This is the message conveyed by Ignacio Galán to Juan Manuel Moreno, President of the Regional Government of Andalusia, in a meeting held in the framework of COP26. The chairman of Iberdrola has pledged to triple its renewable capacity in the region to 3,000 MW in the next five years. This plan represents an investment of around 1.5 billion euros and will create 5,500 new jobs in the region in installation and assembly alone. At present, the company is already the leading wind power developer in the region and has an installed renewable capacity of 817 MW.

The chairman of Iberdrola group participated in the event of the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), the coalition of governments and companies that was created in 2017 to promote policies and investment plans aligned against the end of coal as a source of energy to advance in the implementation of clean energy. In this context, on behalf of Iberdrola, he signed an International Declaration advocating the abolition of the use of this raw material, in line with the current edition of COP26, which sees this measure as one of the main assets to advance in the commitment to limit the global increase in temperature on the planet to a maximum of 1.5 ºC.

"It is urgent to act against climate change. There is no time left and it is everyone's job"

Urgency, urgency and urgency. This is the message conveyed by the chairman of Iberdrola to Al Gore, former Vice-President of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize winner for his involvement in the fight against climate change, during their meeting in the framework of COP26. Ignacio Galán stressed the need to act urgently against climate change: "We have to do everything we can in this decade; we must be very ambitious and the time is now. We must reinforce the work of recent years so that it translates into well-being and jobs for citizens."

"It is possible to invest in clean energy and be a successful electricity company"

On the occasion of his participation in COP26, Ignacio Galán gave an interview to the US network Bloomberg, in which he stressed that Iberdrola has closed all its coal and fuel oil facilities, which shows that it is possible to invest in clean energy and be a successful company that also defends the interests of its investors. Galán also stated that the main problem affecting companies and investors is the slowness of the procedures related to obtaining administrative permits to build renewable energy projects, a situation that must be resolved as a matter of urgency.

We received the Terra Carta Royal Charter Seal for our contribution to the fight against climate change

The Prince of Wales, Charles of England, awarded the Terra Carta Royal Seal to Iberdrola for its contribution to climate change and sustainability. Terra Carta is a personal initiative that Prince Charles launched earlier this year with the aim of accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy. This distinction recognises companies that are world leaders in sustainability and have demonstrated a clear contribution to the fight against climate change, with a clearly defined plan towards decarbonisation.

"We have the technology, the social consensus and the financial resources, but we need to be faster in decarbonisation"

Ignacio Galán spoke at The New York Times Climate Hub meeting, organised within the framework of COP26, which revolved around the most urgent questions of our time: how do we adapt and prosper on a warming planet? Faced with this dilemma, the chairman of Iberdrola insisted that "we need to move from words to action" and said that "stable and predictable regulation and legal certainty are needed to accelerate investment in more competitive renewables, storage and grids, the three essential elements to make the energy transition a success."

We will plant more than 20 million trees

Iberdrola played a leading role in a seminar on reforestation at the Glasgow summit by announcing that it will plant more than 20 million trees. The programme was one of the most important actions presented by a private company at this international forum. This significant commitment, through the Trees Programme, will absorb more than 6 million tonnes of carbon over 30 years, equivalent to neutralising the emissions of a car driving around the Earth 116 times.

Kick-off for COP26

As the main sponsor of the event, ScottishPower dressed the city of Glasgow in green to announce the start of COP26. The company placed posters and canopies on buses, electric taxis, and in the Glasgow underground and airport, as well as advertisements in the press and on television, to raise awareness of the importance of acting now on climate change. Under the slogan We are on it, this campaign is an opportunity to reinforce Iberdrola's and ScottishPower's global leadership position in the field of climate neutrality.

At the start of the summit, Ignacio Galán, who has been involved in all the COPs held since 2009, spoke about his participation in the event, "a milestone for demonstrating our commitment after more than 20 years of decarbonisation," with an investment of more than 120 bn euros. Galán urged all agents, countries and sectors to act during the coming decade, which will be crucial. "Together, we can make a real difference," he said.

We reaffirm our commitment to the sustainable future of the planet

Iberdrola continues to champion the fight against climate change, a task it made visible by once again renewing its commitment to the Climate Summit. The company played a prominent role at COP26, in clear alignment with its new challenges for the future: to redouble its renewable objectives and stay on the front line of clean energy production.

ScottishPower to restore the Firth of Forth

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ScottishPower Foundation has launched an initiative to restore the seagrass and oyster beds of the Firth of Forth in the North Sea. The Restoration Forth project will receive £600,000 over three years from the Foundation's Marine Biodiversity Fund, created on the occasion of COP26.

Galán recalls that "sustainability has been essential for Iberdrola since long before ESG criteria became widespread"

Ignacio Galán opened the virtual conference Business alignment with the Paris Agreement: from ambition to action, organised by the Center for Sustainable Investment and the Columbia University Climate School on the occasion of COP26. Galán reminded the audience that "we are at a critical moment" and that, in order to become carbon neutral in 30 years, "we need to decarbonise now." He also highlighted Iberdrola's pioneering commitment to electrification more than 20 years ago and the 120 billion euros it has already invested in renewables and grids, to which a further 150 billion will be added during this decade.

COP26 Green Power List External link, opens in new window.

On the occasion of COP26, ScottishPower compiled a list that pays tribute to those people in the United Kingdom who have stood out for their fight against climate change. The company called on communities across the country to nominate their green champions and, from among them, a jury made up of experts from ScottishPower and the environmental and education sector selected a total of 23 people who have generated a positive impact and served as an inspiration both locally and globally.

ScottishPower partners with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

ScottishPower has partnered with the environmental NGO WWF to drive the UK's transition to zero emissions. With this partnership, both actors aim to seize the historic opportunity provided by COP26 to accelerate the achievement of climate targets and recognises ScottishPower's role as climate leader in the UK energy sector.

SP Energy Networks to hire 152 engineers by the end of the year

ScottishPower's Networks subsidiary has announced its biggest recruitment campaign so far this century, seeking to move towards modernising the UK's electricity grid to enable the massive integration of renewables and the increased demand for electricity — due to new uses such as transport or heating — that the energy transition will bring. Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has stressed the "huge importance" of this measure to the successful completion of the UK's journey towards carbon neutrality.

SYFF and ScottishPower launch an environmental film competition for young people

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The Scottish Youth Film Foundation (SYFF), with the support of ScottishPower, is inviting young Scots under 19 to enter a climate change film competition. The short films, which must be no longer than five minutes, will be about the history of Scotland's climate. The winning entries will be announced and screened during COP26.

ScottishPower begins construction of the UK's first hybrid farm

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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson attended the installation of the first 10,000 solar panels at Carland Cross, in Cornwall. These panels will be part of a 10 MW photovoltaic plant, which will be added to the existing 20 MW, wind farm and a 1 MW battery storage system. Carland Cross becomes the country's first hybrid power generation facility and will produce green energy to power 15,000 homes.