MITECO

The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) is the department of the Spanish Government responsible for environmental, energy and climate policy. It designs and applies the rules on climate change mitigation, the energy transition, water, biodiversity and pollution prevention, and it operates Spain's official carbon footprint registry, a central reference for any organisation measuring its emissions.

What is MITECO?

Created in 2018 (and given its current name and remit in 2020), MITECO brings together responsibilities that were previously split across several ministries: environmental protection, energy, climate change and the demographic challenge of depopulation. It leads on flagship instruments such as the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) 2023-2030 and the national strategies for adaptation and decarbonisation, and it represents Spain in European and international climate negotiations aligned with the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement.

MITECO and the carbon footprint registry

One of MITECO's most relevant tools for companies is the Registry of carbon footprint, offsetting and CO2 absorption projects. It is a voluntary, free and public registry where organisations can record the calculation of their carbon footprint, their emission reduction plans, and forestry projects that absorb CO2. Organisations that meet the requirements receive an official seal that proves they have calculated (and, in higher tiers, reduced or offset) their emissions.

The registry was originally created by Royal Decree 163/2014. In March 2025 it was renewed and expanded by Royal Decree 214/2025, of 18 March, which repealed the 2014 text and, for the first time, makes calculating the carbon footprint and publishing a greenhouse gas reduction plan mandatory for certain companies.

Who is now obliged to calculate and register?

The obligation introduced by Royal Decree 214/2025 stems from Spain's Climate Change and Energy Transition Law 7/2021. It applies, broadly, to the same large companies that must publish a non-financial information statement under Law 11/2018: groups and companies of public interest with more than 500 employees, and other large companies above the thresholds set in the decree. These organisations must:

• Calculate their carbon footprint (at least scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, progressively incorporating relevant scope 3 categories).
• Draw up and publish a reduction plan for their greenhouse gas emissions.
• Register the result in MITECO's registry within the deadlines set by the decree.

Many other organisations register voluntarily, because the seal is increasingly requested in tenders and by clients.

How the calculation works

MITECO's methodology is consistent with the international Greenhouse Gas Protocol and with standards such as ISO 14064. A typical process involves defining the organisational and operational boundaries, collecting activity data (fuel, electricity, travel, etc.), applying official emission factors, and where required, having the result verified by an accredited body before registration.

Why it matters for companies

Beyond legal compliance, measuring and registering the carbon footprint with MITECO helps organisations identify energy efficiency savings, strengthen their reputation, access public procurement that rewards low-carbon suppliers, and prepare for wider sustainability reporting under the EU framework. It is often the first concrete step in a credible decarbonisation strategy.

At Manglai we help companies calculate their carbon footprint following MITECO's requirements, build their reduction plans and prepare their sustainability reporting. Discover how Manglai can help you.