Madrid, May 14 (IANS): The Spanish Congress of Deputies, the lower chamber in Parliament, has approved a law on climate change and energy transition aimed at drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the coming years.

Only the far-right wing Vox party voted against the law on Thursday, which sets a 2030 target for reducing the country's greenhouse gas emissions by 23 per cent compared with 1990 levels, reports Xinhua news agency.

The bill also requires that by 2030, 42 per cent of all its energy come from renewable sources, and 74 per cent of all its electricity be generated from renewables.

The overall objective of the law is to help Spain achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, thus complying with its obligations related to the 2015 Paris Agreement.

"It has been intense work, thanks to all of the parliamentary groups for forging a consensus and improving the climate law," said Minister for Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera.

Describing the law as "vital", the Minister said that "we have to apply it fully and look towards the future, it is a collective effort that requires agreements and constant improvements".

"Spain has arrived at the approval of this law with a delay. It should have been passed 10 years ago," she said in an interview in the El Pais newspaper on Thursday.