The Glasgow meeting on Climate Change is over and opinions appear that see the glass very empty while others congratulate themselves that the glass is filling even slowly. The purpose of these summits is to seek solutions to the challenges we face as a consequence of the effects of the activity of human populations on the environment. We can criticize the rulers for their lack of decision, but we must consider what they will find when they return home. They will have to convince the population that has chosen them that you have to make decisions that will change the way you live. We already see this difficulty in two important aspects for our life as they are access to energy or food.
One of the conclusions reached by the countries meeting in Glasgow is the reduction in the use of coal and methane emissions. Countries like Spain or France have been closing coal mines, but it will be difficult to do so in Poland, which is a large producer, or in Germany that decided to close its nuclear power plants and has no other alternative for now. If we also reduce the use of methane, from which natural gas is made, electricity production will be affected and its price may rise, which is what is already happening at the moment. To this is added that if we put taxes on the production of CO2, the price of gasoline can also increase. The life of many people is based on the use of the car. It is not clear how transporters and others who have to use the car for any activity in their life will have to cope. Moving in and out of cities, or going to the other end of the world for work or tourism, has also become a common custom.
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Ente this moment, having access to electricity is an urgent need for all of us, which was not the case 100 years ago. We depend on electricity for almost everything we do and many industries depend directly. But electricity has to be produced and we have to do it in power plants that burn coal, oil or gas, in nuclear power plants or taking advantage of sunlight, wind or river currents. Nuclear power plants, which in France will continue to be the main source of electricity production, do not emit gases, but they pose uranium supply problems, they generate waste and have a risk, which may be small, but when there are accidents, they are very serious. Renewable energies alter the landscape. And you also have to transport electricity by cables or perhaps by taking advantage of hydrogen. Too farmers They depend on fuel to run their tractors. If, in addition, the number of cows must be reduced because they produce methane, pesticides or fertilizers, it will be necessary to see how we achieve that food production does not decrease significantly, but it will be difficult to do so at a price similar to the current one.
For current farmers and for new generations, the work they do must be attractive and it is not if their remuneration is low. If the crop yield decreases or if we want to pay better for the production it will be necessary to accept that the prices go up. If this happens we would have to ensure that it does not prevent enough food for everyone, an essential right for people’s lives. In any case, we will have to make decisions about the production of electricity and food that we already see are difficult. We can reduce the use of coal, oil and gas progressively, but electricity will have to be produced in other ways that affect the territory and it must be transported. And we will have to produce food with less environmental impact but maybe they will be more expensive. We already see reactions against measures against climate change in some countries because some see their way of life or their work threatened. And we also see that there are economic sectors that react defending their interests. Alternatives may be different in different locations depending on geography and available resources. But it would be necessary propose, discuss and agree on solutions, explain them well and apply them in a transparent and decisive way. The alternative may be to face conflicts that are already beginning to occur and that will be difficult to manage.
Reference-www.elperiodico.com