Barcelona produces relatively small amounts of greenhouse gas emissions because the city’s main source of energy is nuclear power. On the other hand, this type of energy entails some associated environmental risks. For its part, almost no coal at all is used any more in the city and the use of liquid fuels is low.

There are few ways of reducing overall emissions and their atmospheric impact through the replacement of traditional sources of energy. For this reason it is necessary to base the general strategy on the promotion of renewable energies and on measures aimed to reduce consumption by efficient energy use.

In this respect, the position of Barcelona city in terms of per capita emissions means that the reduction of pollutant gas emissions by a set amount requires a greater effort than for other cities with a greater dependence on fossil fuels.

In order to reverse the consumption trend and achieve a suitable reduction of pollutant gas emissions without compromising the city’s development processes, it is necessary to implement actions along various lines as set out in the Barcelona Energy Improvement Plan.