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The group of 15 cyclists was made up of representatives from international bodies, governments, universities, conservationists and business groups, backed by Iberdrola. Their final goal was the doors of the Climate Summit currently underway in Glasgow (Scotland) where they presented a manifesto demanding climate action by all members of society in five key areas. They were met by the deputy executive secretary of the Framework Convention of the United Nations on Climate Change (CMNUCC), Ovais Sarmad, Peter Hill, Chief Executive Officer of COP26, Iberdrola chairman Ignacio Galán and the CEO of Scottish Power, Keith Anderson.

During the last four days, the cyclists covered more than 270 km on electric bikes, some of them stopping off at some of Scotland's most symbolic energy sites to talk about the manifesto.

The participants come from different organisations, among which are the International Energy Agency, the University of Strathclyde, WWF UK, CMNUCC, the Corporate Leaders Group, the International Renewable Energies Agency (IRENA), the British and Scottish governments, and several international journalists who have all become part of Moving For Climate Now. Since COP21 in Paris, they have been at every Summit to send a message about the urgent need for immediate action to fight against climate change, particularly in terms of the transition of a more efficient, low-carbon energy model.

A manifesto for the world

The most recent report published by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) includes some startling conclusions of how climate change is intensifying

fast. An ever-increasing number of regions across the planet are suffering the effects, and what is more, emissions are not slowing down, rather they are increasing.

The manifesto delivered today sets out, point by point, the fundamental principles on which this team believes action is needed to address climate challenges and meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. It advocates for:

• Medium and long-term paths to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
• Coherent policies that will enable countries to meet their emissions reduction targets.
• More green investment to speed up the decarbonisation of the economy.
• Better conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, vital for a healthy planet.
• Giving impetus to encouraging everyone to work together, forming alliances to address climate change challenges.

The sixth Moving for Climate NOW and almost 4,500 km covered

The Moving for Climate NOW cycling for the climate initiative is in its sixth in-person edition this year.

After travelling almost 4,500 km since the initiative began, which has taken the cyclists from Bilbao to COP21 in Glasgow, 200 participants from a variety of areas of influence have participated in this Iberdrola-sponsored event. These have included international organisations such as the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the International Energy Agency (IEA); institutions like the Spanish Office for Climate Change; initiatives like the World Business Council for Sustainable Development; civil society, through NGOs such as ECODES, the Red Cross and Ayuda en Acción; opinion-makers, sportsmen and women and research centres and universities such as the University of Salamanca, the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

At the "finish lines", Moving for Climate NOW has delivered its manifestos to the main institutions of the global climate agenda, passing through the Climate Summits in Paris, Marrakech, Bonn, Katowice and Madrid.

Iberdrola's climate neutrality in Europe in 2030

Iberdrola continues to make progress with its sustainability strategy, based on the electrification of the economy and oriented towards the fight against climate change and the creation of wealth and employment in the communities in which it operates.

The company is COP26's main partner through its subsidiary ScottishPower, an event hosted in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021. By September, it had succeeded in reducing its own CO₂ emissions to 53 g/kWh and it is committed to its undertaking of becoming emissions neutral in Europe by 2030.

In the last two decades, Iberdrola has invested 120 billion euros in renewable energies, smart grids and energy storage. An investment plan to 2030, worth 150 billion euros, will triple its renewable capacity to almost 100,000 MW.

Iberdrola Chairman Ignacio Galán welcomes the team of cyclists

Iberdrola's chairman, Ignacio Galán, welcomed the team of cyclists and encouraged them to continue with their efforts to fight climate change, highlighting that "from Paris, the 200 people from institutions, universities, NGOs and political figures who have joined forces with Moving for Climate NOW have travelled 4,500 km on two continents, cycling together to speed up the transition towards the zero-emissions objective, proving that joining forces can multiply results".

During his speech, he added that "this year, during the tour of Scotland, in just two days they travelled from the past - cycling from the old electricity plant in Longannet, whose chimney is scheduled for imminent demolition - to the future of the energy system, namely our facilities in Whiteless, where wind energy has been combined with battery storage, and will soon be joined by a green hydrogen plant".