By Joan Francesc Peris, Spokesman for the Greens in Spain.
Most scientists agree: The global warming which the Planet is suffering is due to the increase in greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere by the activities of industrial society. The consequences of the increase in average temperatures will be catastrophic. Rising sea levels will directly affect the lives of millions of people and the world economy. It will increase desertification in vast areas of the planet, hunger, lack of clean water, droughts violent episodes of the weather wiil be more frequent. Heat waves, disappearing glaciers, species displacement, deaths. Most scientists claim the urgency of measures to national and international governments to abandon the current energy use and replace fossil fuels, mostly derived from oil, for clean, renewable energy. A few days ago we have learnt that the year 2013 has been the one that has increased the most the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere over the last 30 years. Many scientists, experts, environmentalists and citizens think that we’re running out of time to try to avoid the worst effects of a disaster that has already begun.
But there is another point of view shared by many others, and much of the current rulers of the world. Every day there are fewer oil reserves and at the rate it is consumed in the world,it is possible that it is exhausted in less than 100 years. Its price, as it is increasingly scarce, will increase exponentially and those who controland distribute those reserves will win millions. It seems we have to keep looking for oil and that we have the marine continental shelves and, above all, a great opportunity with the Arctic thaw initiated by the rising temperatures. Invest in oil is what will continue to give a lot of money in the short and medium term. In short, you only live once and you have to take advantage of opportunities to make money. What if people suffer from allergies or die in a heat wave? Who cares if millions of people have to travel due to sea level rise? Whales and turtles suffering from the acoustic impact of underwater oil surveys? Tourist Economies endangered? artisanal fishing …? Tragedies caused by hurricanes, violent storms, waves …? Who cares.We’ll just look for someone who justifies that climate change is a natural cycle of the planet and will try to continue to rule in our interest and in the major energy companies.
I’d be very worried if my next European commissioner for climate and energy had this second point of view. Much. The European Union, very shyly, had been leading the fight against climate change. With commisioners like Cañete I think that would finish. It is irresponsible to vote for this man.