Miguel Torres launches a (new) call for action to combat climate change

Miguel Torres could be the poster boy for the proverb, no one is a prophet in his own land. Having failed to create a cohesive movement in Spain, he has launched the International Association for Climate Action. “Do you know how many bodegas I have gathered as members of the [Spanish] Wineries for Climate Protection association since its launch in 2011? Twenty...” said the chairman of the Spanish group, who also chairs the Spanish Wine Federation. On March 6 in Oporto, Miguel Torres was unable to conceal his bitterness, but quickly revealed his fighting spirit by confirming the launch of the International Association for Climate Action, which was officially created on February 28 in Barcelona, with the support of the Californian group Jackson Family.

-80% CO2 by 2045

Plans for a “global alliance of wine regions to reduce carbon emissions”, which were mentioned by Miguel Torres at Vinexpo in 2017, aim to bring together estates from across the world in a bid to do more to combat global warming. The objective is to go beyond the debate on the viticultural consequences of an increase in temperatures and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible. The new association's first target is to reduce its CO2 emissions by 80% by 2045.

A tireless advocate of environmental awareness in the wine industry, Miguel Torres ensures that his family group invests 10% of its profits in renewable energies and R&D programmes. Since the launch of the Torres & Earth programme in 2007, the total investment stands at a staggering €15.8 million. But the results are still insufficient for Miguel Torres, who believes that “the world as it is now is not sustainable, important changes must be made”.