In 2022, Ihobe persuaded more than 800 companies to promote the circular economy

Ihobe's work once again had a significant multiplier effect, as for every euro of the organisation's budget spent, 2.86 euros were mobilised in environmental investments. In total, 30 million euros were mobilised in 2022 towards integrating the environmental policy by sector. In 2022, Ihobe, the Basque Government's public environmental management company, managed to persuade more than 800 companies and organisations to adopt measures aimed at promoting the circular economy, which was 60% more than in the previous year. 

 

Decarbonisation of Basque industry

The Basque Circular Summit, one of Ihobe's strategic milestones in 2022, attracted more than 600 professionals from multiple sectors. The conference, which was held in Irun, is considered to be the largest circular economy meeting in southern Europe and underlined the fact that the circular economy is the key tool for decarbonising Basque industry, as demonstrated by the 175 circular products manufactured in the Basque Country that make up the “Zirkularrak-Circulars” travelling exhibition. Ihobe funded 40 projects aimed at circular eco-innovation in this business area, and the Basque Circular programme for SMEs managed to mobilise more than 2,000 companies which employ 175,000 workers in the industrial value chains. Basque Circular Hub advanced services centres trained more than 170 young people on the circular economy during the last academic year, thanks to Ihobe's collaboration with other public, private and academic institutions. 

 

Cimate Action

In 2022, there was a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of almost 14,000 tonnes and 257,000 tonnes of waste and soil were recovered

In 2022, there was a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of around 14,000 tonnes and 257,000 tonnes of waste and soil were returned to the production cycle as a result of the initiatives promoted by Ihobe in the industrial environment, among other reasons. In this sphere of action, last year the Basque Government approved the Basque Soil Protection Strategy 2030, which takes an integrated approach to soil management, and goes beyond the traditional view of working with contaminated soils. It is a pioneering strategy due to its integral approach, both in the Basque Country and in Spain, and was used to promote 10 cross-disciplinary collaborative projects. 

In addition, over the past year, Ihobe has developed more than 30 tools aimed at generating advanced knowledge for environmental decision-making, including technical publications, climate modelling viewers, eco-design and circular economy methodologies and technical guides on green procurement. In this sense, the promotion of green public procurement has managed to mobilise 1,084 million euros in administrative procurement procedures. 

One of the most significant initiatives of the year was the presentation and launch of the Environmental Framework Programme 2030 (EFP 2030), which was recently approved by the Basque Government and represents the course of the Basque Country's environmental policy for this decade. The EFP 2030 will allow further progress to be made towards a fair and sustainable development model, which the Basque Government is promoting through the Basque Green Deal, which, in line with the European Green Deal, is aimed at balancing the economic, social and environmental spheres, using industry and technology as the main levers. 

Ihobe and the EVE, in collaboration with the Udalsarea network, held the third ASTEKLIMA Climate and Energy Week in 2022, which was attended by 70 public and private entities and involved more than 200 activities to mobilise and put the challenge of climate change and energy transition on the public agenda. 

 

20 years of local sustainability

In September 2022, Ihobe commemorated the 20th anniversary of Udalsarea 2030, the Basque network of sustainable municipalities, the technical secretariat of which it has held since its creation. The network presented its new framework collaboration agreement to promote sustainable local action and the Local Agenda 2030 in the Basque Country. In the last two decades, 205 municipalities and regions in the Basque Country that are committed to sustainability and the Local Agenda 2030 have become involved. 

The Ekoetxea network of environmental education centres began a transformation process last year in the field of education to raise awareness and involve citizens in the fight against climate change. The new strategy coincides with the launch of a new portal, adapted for all devices, which focuses on environmental education experiences that involve concrete actions and commitments by citizens to preserve the biodiversity in our region. 
All of Ihobe's results, and its most important achievements in 2022, can be found in the 2022 corporate report. 

 

About Ihobe

Ihobe is a public environmental management company which is attached to the Basque Government's Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment. Its purpose is to improve the environment, by integrating environmental criteria into Basque public policies as an element of competitive value for the Basque Country and its organisations. 

The organisation has a staff of 74 people - 50 women and 24 men - with an average age of 44. 78% of the staff have higher education qualifications. Ihobe employees have a degree of satisfaction of 8.5/10 in carrying out their work. In 2022, the entity fully implemented a budget of 11.9 million euros. 

Ihobe has been recognised as a "Collaborating Entity for Gender Equality" by Emakunde, and is part of BAI SAREA, a network made up of entities that have this distinction and are voluntarily committed to promoting gender equality. 

More information on Ihobe's staff, its actions to promote equality, its activities to foster cooperation, insertion and education, its international activities, and the other initiatives it has promoted can be found in its complete corporate report, by clicking on the following link: https://www.ihobe.eus/Memoria2022/index-en.html