Law on climate change the first project of Puigdemont’s government

The law will first charge those vehicles emitting more than 160 grams of CO2 per kilometre and in 2020 the bar will be set at a lower level. “This is a law of a country which is committed to the global challenge that humanity is facing” stated the new Catalan Minister for Planning and Sustainability, Josep Rull. The aim is to reduce the level of emissions registered in 2005 by 25% before 2020 and “by 80% or even more” by 2050. Also this Tuesday, the 29 committees in the Catalan chamber for this term of office have been assigned presidents. 15 of them will be led by members of pro-independence cross-party list ‘Junts Pel Sí’, including the Committee for the Constitutive Process. Muriel Casals, former president of the cultural association promoting the Catalan language and culture, Òmnium Cultural, will be head of this committee set up to design the roadmap towards independence.

Catalan Exeuctive's meeting this Tuesday (by ACN)
Catalan Exeuctive's meeting this Tuesday (by ACN) / ACN

ACN

January 26, 2016 07:08 PM

 

Barcelona (CNA).- In 2018 those vehicles emitting more than 160 grams of CO2 will start to be charged and from 2020 onwards the bar will be set at a lower level. The aim is to reduce the level of emissions registered in 2005 by 25% before 2020 and “by 80% or even more” by 2050, stated the new Catalan Minister for Planning and Sustainability, Josep Rull. The first law of Puigdemont’s government, which is still to be approved by the Parliament, shows Catalonia’s commitment “to the global challenge that humanity is facing” assured Rull. Also this Tuesday, the presidencies of the 29 committees in the Catalan chamber for this term of office have been assigned, including the Committee for the Constitutive Process. Muriel Casals, former president of the cultural association promoting the Catalan language and culture, Òmnium Cultural, will be head of this committee set up to design the roadmap towards independence.


“It is a structural challenge for the country” stated Rull. After the executive’s meeting, the Catalan Minister for Planning and Sustainability detailed the application of the progressive tax to charge those vehicles which pollute the most. From 2018 the tax will be applicable to those private cars and vans which emit more than 160 grams of CO2 per kilometre and will be gradually extended to include other vehicles. Those vehicles which emit between 120 and 130 grams of CO2 will not be charged until 2020. Rull calculates that the owner of this kind of average car will pay less than 5.5 euros per year.

Distribution of the 29 committees in the Parliament

This Tuesday as well, the Spokesperson Bureau and the Parliament’s Bureau have agreed on the distribution of the presidencies of the 29 committees of the Catalan chamber during this of term office. 15 of them will be led by members of pro-independence cross-party list ‘Junts Pel Sí’, anti-Catalan nationalism Ciutadans will be in charge of 5, the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) will be heading 3 committees, and alternative left coalition ‘Catalunya Sï que es Pot’, pro-independence radical left CUP, alternative left coalition ‘Catalunya Sí que es Pot’ and the Catalan People’s Party (PPC) will lead 2 committees each. Muriel Casals, former president of the cultural association promoting the Catalan language and culture, Òmnium Cultural, will be head of the Committee for the Constitutive Process, which has been set up to design the roadmap towards independence.

Although the vice presidencies and the secretaries haven’t yet been distributed, sources close to the negotiations have assured that the Committee for the Constitutive Process’ vice presidency will probably be given to a CUP MP.

According to the agreement between pro-independence forces ‘Junts Pel Sí’ and CUP, the main force in the Parliament will have 15 of the 29 committees. These are Economy, Foreign Affairs, Health, Planning, Environment, Culture, Justice, Employment, Social Affairs, the Court of Auditors, Petitions, Childhood and the study committee for the Constitutive Process. Muriel Casals will be leading this last committee, which is considered one of the most controversial of the current term of office.

Ciutadans, the main party in the opposition, will be in charge of the Committee for Institutional Affairs, which is considered one of the most important. The anti-Catalan nationalists will also lead the Catalan Corporation of Audio-visual Media’s committee of control, Home Affairs, Equality and the MPs’ Statute.

The PSC will be leading the automotive study committee, Education and Catalonia’s Ombudsman, the ‘Síndic de Greuges’. ‘Catalunya Sí que es Pot’ will be in charge of Economy and Business, Agriculture and Traffic Safety will be headed by PPC, and Governance and the study committee for Corruption will be led by CUP.

Arrimadas officially declared Leader of the Opposition

The Spokesperson Bureau and the Parliament Bureau have officially declared Ciutadans’ leader in the Catalan Parliament, Inés Arrimadas, Leader of the Opposition.