OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Spain 2004

This review of Spain's environmental performance takes stock of Spain's environmental performance since the last review done in 1997. It finds that despite substantial increases in GDP, tourism, construction, population density in coastal areas, and road freight transport, progress has been made in decoupling some environmental pressures from economic growth and in developing environmental infrastructure. Nevertheless, Spain faces important challenges related to high energy intensity, high water use intensity, and increasing CO2 emissions and municipal waste. This report makes 46 recommendations to help strengthen Spain's environmental performance in the context of sustainable development.