This chapter reviews Spain’s efforts to significantly strengthen its policy framework for the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity. Following a description of the status, trends and pressures on Spain’s biodiversity, this chapter reviews the country’s progress in establishing key legislation to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. It also discusses the expansion of Spain’s terrestrial and marine protected areas, the management tools in place, as well as the main trends in financing biodiversity. Finally, the chapter examines the integration of biodiversity considerations into other sectors, such as agriculture and tourism.

Spain’s industrial sector has a smaller environmental footprint than most other European countries and is a leader in environmental management systems. However, as the economy recovers, environmental pressures are likely to increase. This chapter examines government and private sector initiatives to manage the industrial sector’s impact on the environment. A selection of policies that aim to strengthen the environmental performance of businesses and to enforce compliance are reviewed. These include the use of economic instruments and environmental management systems.