Ten keys to achieving climate balance

Is it possible to stop global warming? For nearly a decade, Project Drawdown has insisted that this is not a utopia if the right measures are taken to stop the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

With greenhouse gas emissions reaching record highs in the past decade, the pace of global warming has intensified. Temperatures are rising at a rate of almost 0.2 °C per decade. Worse still, it could rise by a further 1.5 °C between 2030 and 2052, according to a UN report.

In this context, the publication in 2017 of the book ‘Drawdown’ generated a huge media echo. With nearly a hundred proposals, it was the most comprehensive plan to reverse global warming to date. The title referred to that desired future moment when the levels of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere stop rising and begin a gradual decline that avoids catastrophic consequences. 

The book’s editorial team continued to advance their proposals to reach that “crucial point for life on Earth; a point we must reach as quickly, safely and equitably as possible”, as detailed on their website. In 2020, they published “The Drawdown Report”, which updates their proposals and sets out a series of fundamental reflections on climate balance.

A reference report

Its solutions place particular emphasis on the areas of energy, industry, food, transport and construction, which account for 90% of greenhouse gas emissions. The proposals, which are intended to serve as a starting point for legislators, institutions and individuals, are based on ten key ideas that should guide humanity’s efforts to avert environmental disaster. 

1. It is possible to reach the drawdown point by mid-century. Yes, despite the difficulties, it is possible to halt emissions’ growth, but this requires maximising the climate solutions available today. As the report warns, “available is better than new, and society is ready to start such a transformation today”. 
2. A comprehensive system of solutions is needed. There is no single, miracle cure for a problem as complex as the climate crisis. Many of the solutions can be combined and made to feedback on each other for the most significant possible impact. For example, efficient buildings make renewable electricity generation more viable. 
3. Solutions rarely have only one climate impact. Many of them can generate employment, improve resilience to climate impacts such as storms and droughts, and provide other environmental benefits such as the preservation of water resources. 
4. The savings from climate solutions significantly outweigh the costs. Arguments about the lack of economic viability of climate action are false. The report estimates that net operational savings are four to five times the net implementation costs. And if we take into account the financial value of the associated benefits, such as savings in health services through reduced pollution, and avoided climate damage, such as reduced agricultural losses, the economic case is even stronger.
5. It is essential to promote solutions that reduce or replace the use of fossil fuels. The use of fossil fuels for electricity, transport and heating generates two-thirds of the world’s heat-trapping gas emissions. Hence, the importance of this section. Approximately 30% of the solutions proposed in the report calls for a reduction in the use of fossil fuels through increased efficiency, and almost another 30% propose alternatives. These measures, which range from boosting solar and wind energy to retrofitting buildings, can provide almost two-thirds of the emission reductions needed to reach the drawdown point. 
6. Nature’s carbon sinks must be encouraged. If we want to prevent the water in a bathtub from overflowing, we can turn off the tap, but we can also remove the stopper so that the liquid goes down the drain. A similar thing happens with carbon in nature. Human activities can enhance natural carbon sinks, and many ecosystem-based or agriculture-related climate solutions have the dual benefit of reducing emissions and sequestering carbon. 
7. More attention should be paid to some of the most impactful climate solutions. The report warns that beyond onshore wind turbines and industrial-scale photovoltaic plants, progress is needed in areas such as reducing food waste and improving the disposal of chemical refrigerants, which are potent greenhouse gases. 
8. Accelerators are needed to drive solutions at the scale, speed and scope required. Some accelerators, such as policy change and capital displacement, are closer to home and have more direct impacts. Others, such as cultural change and political empowerment, are more distant and indirect in their effects. 
9. Changes must be made at all levels, from the individual to the global. The climate crisis requires systemic and structural changes in our society. Interventions are needed at the individual, community, organisational, regional, national and global levels to maximise benefits and achieve transformation. 
10. Much commitment, collaboration and ingenuity will be needed to reverse the current situation. The report warns that “the path we are on is far more than risky, and it is easy to feel paralysed by that danger”. However, it also stresses that change is possible: “together we can build a bridge from where we are now to the world we want” for generations to come.

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The new global trend that democratises access to luxury from a sustainable and environmentally responsible point of view.

21st century laboratories have managed to imitate natural diamonds in a new synthetic product that maintains the chemical, optical, thermal and physical characteristics of the original stone. The final product is practically impossible to distinguish by the naked eye, but the process of obtaining it is very different. However, despite being presented as a sustainable alternative, the market for diamonds, synthetic or natural, is still marked by controversy.

These replicas are created over a period of seven to ten days, then cut and graded according to the same standards as natural diamonds. The International Gemmological Institute recognises these new diamonds and even certifies them, to ensure that they meet the requirements to be considered synthetic diamonds and not simply diamond fakes.

The end of blood diamonds

The process of obtaining diamonds is one of the most criticised, because of the direct link between obtaining them and the exploitation of natural resources. It is estimated that for each carat of diamonds, 250 tonnes of earth are moved, and the acid drainage required for their extraction contaminates, besides soil, surface and underground water.

Human exploitation, and countries’ conflicts to gain access to these strategic mines of great economic interest, often occupied and militarised, are also facts taken into account.

These are the so-called “conflict diamonds“, which, because they are sold to rich countries, end financing armed conflicts. The Kimberley Process, established in 2003, is a commitment signed by 56 countries to curb the production of these diamonds.

Today, as a result of the agreements signed by all member countries, only 0.2% of the diamonds that reach the final consumer are conflict diamonds. Even so, the process of obtaining and distributing them continues to be questioned throughout the world, in what appears to be a conflict with more interests than solutions.

From fake diamonds to organic diamonds

In 1952, the first lab-created diamonds, using the HPHT method (high pressure and high temperature), appeared. Since then, other labs and methods have been developed to imitate this mineral, always connected to the black market for the purpose of obtaining lower price imitations.

Recently, however, the diamond market has evolved towards an ecological vision, which rejects social and environmental exploitation without renouncing to the luxury associated with it. But with controversy due to the amount of energy that laboratories need to produce them, a common fact within industry, but which calls into questioning the sustainability label. Sources of energy used, the amount of water required and the management of distribution and waste can be key elements to curbing such impact.

Democratising diamonds to attract young people

Ecology and price (between 40% and 50% cheaper) are the two major factors that have managed to bring diamonds closer to society as a whole, including young people. Celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Penélope Cruz and Meghan Markle are joining the trend for synthetic luxury in their public appearances, and even jewellery brands such as the Danish Pandora are joining the trend in a radical way: they will only sell synthetic diamonds.

Thus, a new scenario is opening up in which the world of diamonds is changing its perspective. It is moving from exploitation to environmental awareness, from exorbitant prices to increased competition, and from being a luxury for the few to opening up to new audiences. The creation of synthetic diamonds does not imply, at present, overcrowding the sector, and the product still retains a high value, but for the first time, it is within the reach of the public.

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L’última edició de Statistical Review of World Energy 2024 fa una anàlisi exhaustiva de l’estat actual del sector energètic global, proporcionant dades clau sobre la producció, el consum i les emissions, així com del progrés en la transició energètica cap a un model més sostenible.

2023 va ser l’any més càlid des que es tenen registres i l’impacte del canvi climàtic es va deixar notar en tots els continents. L’últim Informe de Riscos Globals 2024 del Fòrum Econòmic Mundial constata que els esdeveniments meteorològics extrems, la pèrdua de biodiversitat, el col·lapse dels ecosistemes i l’escassetat de recursos naturals suposen el risc més gran per la humanitat durant la pròxima dècada. La causa principal és la crema de combustibles fòssils, que ha anat augmentant a mesura que ho ha fet la població humana. 

En aquest context, l’Statistical Review of World Energy 2024 és un informe elaborat per l’Energy Institute que ofereix una visió detallada de la producció i el consum mundial d’hidrocarburs i d’energies renovables, així com de les emissions de diòxid de carboni i sobre el progrés en la transició cap a un model energètic menys depenent dels combustibles fòssils, impulsat per una explotació cada vegada més competitiva de l’energia eòlica i solar.

L’anàlisi feta per l’Energy Institute confirma que el consum mundial d’energia primària durant el 2023 va augmentar un 2% respecte a l’any anterior, assolint un nou rècord per segon any consecutiu, amb els països no pertanyents a l’OCDE dominant tant la quota com les taxes de creixement anual. Es van observar màxims històrics en el consum de combustibles fòssils i emissions, però també en la generació d’energies renovables. 

Aquest augment del consum energètic reflecteix l’expansió econòmica, especialment en regions en vies de desenvolupament com l’Àsia, on països com la Xina i l’Índia continuen depenent dels combustibles fòssils, que continuen sent la base del seu desenvolupament per alimentar el creixement industrial. 

L’increment del consum energètic va venir acompanyat d’un augment del 2,1% en les emissions de diòxid de carboni, superant per primera vegada els 40.000 milions de tones mètriques de CO₂. La crema en torxa i els processos industrials van ser els principals causants de l’augment rècord d’emissions.

L’impuls de les renovables

La bona notícia és que les energies renovables van créixer a un ritme sis vegades superior al de l’energia primària total, representant el 14,6% del consum total. Això no obstant, els combustibles fòssils continuen dominant, constituint el 81,5% del consum d’energia primària.

La producció d’electricitat va créixer un 2,5%, amb una contribució de les energies renovables al 30% de la producció total. L’energia eòlica i solar van representar el 74% de tota la nova capacitat de generació elèctrica instal·lada, experimentant un creixement sense precedents gràcies a les importants addicions des de la Xina i Europa. En l’àmbit regional, l’Amèrica Central i del Sud van registrar la contribució més gran al creixement d’energies renovables, amb un 72%.

Amb més de 115 GW, les noves instal·lacions de producció d’energia eòlica van protagonitzar un any rècord. Gairebé el 66% d’aquesta nova capacitat afegida correspon a la Xina, que equival a la de Nord-amèrica i Europa juntes, tot i que Europa té la proporció més gran d’energia eòlica marina (12%). Quant a l’energia solar, va representar el 75% (346 GW) de la capacitat afegida, sent la Xina responsable del voltant d’una quarta part del creixement.

Tot i això, l’informe conclou que, si es volen complir els objectius climàtics i reduir les emissions de carboni, cal accelerar la transició cap a fonts d’energia més netes, al mateix temps que reconeix la diversitat de reptes en les diferents regions, reconeixent els marcats contrastos entre els hemisferis nord i sud.

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The sustainable economy seeks to increase social welfare while promoting sustainable consumption through a financial system based on green businesses. Either through the transformation of existing ones or by creating new businesses. It aims to reduce poverty and ensure quality development for present and future generations, without compromising the health of the planet, i.e. without consuming more than nature generates. 

The development of a sustainable economy in any territory involves policies aimed at promoting the use of sustainable energy sources, fostering competitiveness in sustainable activities and investing in innovation and education. According to the 2011 Sustainable Economy Law, we understand sustainable economy as “a pattern of growth that reconciles economic, social and environmental development in a productive and competitive economy, that favours quality jobs, equal opportunities and social cohesion, and that guarantees respect for the environment and the rational use of natural resources in a way that allows needs to be met”.

Why is a sustainable economy necessary?

The advocates of a sustainable economy base their arguments on the environmental forecasts for the coming decades, which, according to experts, are not very positive. In this sense, the data on the ecological footprint for the future are not very flattering. Those who promote sustainable economy advocate the use of renewable energies such as wind, solar, hydraulic and geothermal energy, to extend the life of the products we consume, second-hand purchases, rental of single-use objects, etc. Preserving the planet’s resources, consuming only seasonal foods, recycling, avoiding plastics, pollution, etc. In this way, the survival of future generations can be guaranteed and, in addition, as it is a model of sustainable development, it is also a model of sustainable development.

But we also have detractors, who are those who feel comfortable or are accustomed to a capitalist economic system, which is the one that currently governs the West, who consider a sustainable economy unrealistic. They believe that it is a production model that is doomed to failure from the outset, due to the inability to supply all the needs of today’s world population.

Characteristics of a sustainable economy

The development of a sustainable economy in any territory involves the development of policies aimed at promoting the use of sustainable energy sources, fostering the competitiveness of green businesses and investing in innovation and development.

Thus, this socioeconomic system is governed by the following fundamental axes:

• Environmental protection: preserving the planet’s biodiversity, minimizing the impact of pollution and fighting against climate change.
• Use of renewable energies: promote the use of alternative sources of energy that do not pollute and minimize the impact on the environment.
• Commitment to efficiency: make the most of the resources we have and take care of scarce resources, such as water, which allows us to achieve another pillar of economic sustainability, which is efficiency.
• Promoting recycling: establishing a circular economy model in which the waste generated is used to create new products, thus reducing the ecological toll of the current production system.
• Limiting consumption: limiting the use of renewable resources so that they are not used at a higher rate than they are generated. Furthermore, non-renewable resources must be progressively replaced by renewable resources. 
• Improve the social standard of living: promote, through education and innovation, equality among people in all territories.

Among the measures that can be implemented by public bodies, we can find the premiums and subsidies to new sustainable economic sectors such as clean energy, or the support to ecological business models. In addition, we must promote the recycling of all kinds of waste, the application of energy efficiency and conservation techniques in all areas of the economy and the promotion of the circular economy as well as new models of more sustainable cities.

The current society is unsustainable, as it consumes resources at a higher rate than nature generates, therefore the relationship between economy and sustainability is very close, if the energy needed for a society comes from resources that are not sustainable, they will become more and more expensive because of their scarcity and that can lead to geopolitical and economic imbalances in the medium and long term.

In Catalonia, and specifically in Manresa, the Ecoviure fair is held every year to show the novelties of a sustainable economy.

This fair was born in 1997 with the intention of serving as a meeting point for people and professionals who, from different fields, work for the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the planet. The fair lasts three days and brings together traders, sustainability technicians, entrepreneurs, and government representatives interested in learning about new developments in the green economy.

They can find stands of food products, renewable energies, household products, water treatment or textile products.

There is also an edition for children and families, with the aim of spreading the values of ecology and sustainability, with activities to experiment, play and learn. There are also several workshops and proposals for the youngest children. They need to become aware that we need to move towards a more supportive, fair and respectful society towards the environment.

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Faced with increasing pressure to reduce CO₂ emissions, the commercial aviation sector is exploring the feasibility of using more sustainable fuels. Although some challenges still exist, SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and green hydrogen are presented as credible solutions to decarbonise air transport.

While the aviation sector has reduced its carbon footprint by 50% over the last 30 years, it still accounts for 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, 13.9% of freight emissions, and relies predominantly on conventional aviation fuels.

Within the European framework of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, achieving this milestone will necessarily require an industrial sector that advances the development of cutting-edge technologies for cleaner fuels, driving hybrid aviation engine propulsion and efficient air traffic management.

Unlike what we have seen in the automotive industry, the aviation sector cannot be so easily electrified. Battery-electric propulsion is only feasible for small aircraft or regional aircraft making short journeys and carrying smaller loads, at least for the foreseeable future.

In this regard, Abel Jiménez, chief engineer at engine manufacturer ITP Aero, notes that ‘for at least the next two decades, the main mode of aircraft propulsion will continue to be the combustion engine’. Therefore, the transition to carbon-neutral aviation will require the adoption of more viable and immediate alternatives based on current technological capabilities.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) can be used in conventional aircraft engines without requiring major technical modifications. It is a fuel produced from organic waste, such as used cooking oil, agricultural waste or residues from the agri-food industry. Proponents argue that it can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional kerosene.

However, producing and distributing SAF is not a simple task. On the one hand, the supply of the necessary feedstock is increasingly scarce, on the other, collecting oil from thousands of kitchens and transporting the fuel from refineries to thousands of airports is expensive, labour-intensive, and time-consuming.

Moreover, in order to maintain the sustainability of this fuel, SAF manufacturers cannot compete with normal food production through the use of prime agricultural land, the use of water or non-waste feedstocks.

This makes the final product currently two to two and a half times more expensive than conventional aviation fuel. Scaling up this process to lower costs involves the creation of new supply chains, and doing so sustainably is not easy either.

Thus, we are far from having the capacity to sustainably produce and distribute SAF in large quantities. Currently, this fuel represents only a tiny fraction of the total needs of the aviation sector and, although, according to the International Air Transport Association, its production will triple this year compared to 2023 levels, it will only cover 0.53% of aviation fuel demand.

Hydrogen, a promising technology

Many aviation industry analysts believe that the use of green hydrogen or hydrogen produced from renewable energy is the way forward. The main advantage of hydrogen is that it does not emit CO₂ during combustion; the end product is water. This makes it an ideal technology for achieving climate neutrality.

It can be used as fuel in combustion engines or in fuel cells that generate electricity to power electric motors. Companies such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Safran and MTU have announced plans to develop hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft that could be in operation by 2035.

David Álvaro Granero, Engineering Senior Site Rep (ESSR) at Airbus, indicated that they are working to offer 100% SAF capacity on their aircraft by 2030 and, as for hydrogen, they are evaluating three options: direct combustion of liquid hydrogen with a turboprop or turbofan, hydrogen fuel cells for electric propulsion and a hybrid architecture combining the two options.

Hydrogen produced from renewables is not as affordable as kerosene, but it is not as expensive as SAF and would be much easier to scale up its production. However, as an aviation fuel, it also has some disadvantages, such as its low bulk density and the difficulty of storing and transporting it because of its flammability and risk of explosion. This will require airports to invest heavily in building a whole new infrastructure for its storage and distribution.

Ultimately, it is clear that to be effective, the set of solutions adopted to decarbonise the aviation industry will require the collaboration of all aviation stakeholders globally.

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Un cop s’acaben les festes nadalenques, és hora de posar ordre a tanta decoració. Sovint l’avet, el pessebre o el tió són els objectes més preuats de la casa, però també els més difícils de reutilitzar i reciclar. A 11Onze et donem quatre consells per endreçar per Nadal de la manera més sostenible. 

L’avet, les garlandes, les boles, els llums de colors, els paraments de taula… Abans de posar-nos a recollir tots els guarniments nadalencs, hem de tenir clara una cosa: com més sostenible sigui el material que fem servir, millor. Les vaixelles? De ceràmica! Les estovalles? De fil! Les garlandes i les boles? De paper i de vidre! L’avet? Natural! I el pessebre? El pessebre és per tota la vida.

1. Cada cosa al seu lloc, i quan toca. Sembla una obvietat, però el primer consell per fer endreça de casa, amb tant guarniment i tanta teca, és conèixer bé perquè serveix cada contenidor de residu. Ho repassem: el verd és el per al vidre, el blau per al paper i el cartó, el groc per als envasos plàstics i metàl·lics, el marró per a la brossa orgànica i el gris per a la deixalla sobrant. I recorda, l’oli també es pot reciclar! Si tens dubtes, sempre pots consultar la pàgina web de l’Agència de Residus de Catalunya. A més, aquestes festes també hem de procurar no baixar les deixalles en dies festius, no sigui que la festa de brossa ens la trobem a la vorera l’endemà.
2. No desaprofitis menjar. Els experts asseguren que cada any es malgasten fins a 1.300 tones d’aliment a tot el món. El desaprofitament dels aliments és una de les xacres ecològiques i econòmiques més grans que ha d’afrontar la nostra societat global. Per això, si després de tanta celebració et sobra menjar, potser és una bona idea recórrer a la cuina d’aprofitament. Si realment et sobra menjar sense estrenar, pots preguntar al Banc dels Aliments més proper o alguna entitat social del barri. 
3. Recull l’avet. Els avets, sempre que siguin naturals, i per això és recomanable que així sigui, es poden reciclar cada any. La majoria de municipis de Catalunya posen a l’abast de la ciutadania punts de reciclatge d’avets. S’instal·len l’endemà de Reis. A Barcelona estan oberts les 24 hores del dia, i n’hi ha a cada districte. Consulta la web del teu municipi per saber on estan ubicats aquests centres neuràlgics del reciclatge nadalenc.  
4. Reutilitza tant com puguis. Els paraments de Nadal, les garlandes, les boles i tota la resta de decoració nadalenca, inclosos els estimats pessebres, s’han de poder reutilitzar any rere any. Per això, és una bona idea incentivar compres de qualitat i que tots els guarniments siguin un petit tresor familiar que passa de generació en generació.

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Les dades són clares: el moment d’actuar si volem aturar el canvi climàtic és ara, segons un informe de l’ONU. Per a aconseguir-ho, caldria reduir les emissions de gasos d’efecte hivernacle a gairebé la meitat d’aquí a 2030 i que fossin nul·les a meitat de segle. En cas contrari, la batalla estarà perduda.

Les emissions de gasos d’efecte hivernacle van arribar en la dècada passada a màxims històrics. Tot i que el ritme de creixement ha disminuït, l’informe “Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change” adverteix que només serà possible limitar l’escalfament global a 1,5 °C si es produeix una reducció immediata i profunda de les emissions.

Per a això, són necessàries grans transicions en el sector energètic, segons aquest informe, elaborat pel Grup Intergovernamental d’Experts sobre el Canvi Climàtic (IPCC), que depèn de l’ONU. Aquestes passen per una reducció substancial de l’ús de combustibles fòssils, una electrificació generalitzada, una major eficiència energètica i l’ús de combustibles alternatius com l’hidrogen.

Cal tenir en compte que entre 2010 i 2019, per exemple, el preu de l’energia solar i les bateries de liti va baixar un 85 % i el de l’energia eòlica un 55 %, la qual cosa ha permès l’expansió d’aquestes fonts d’energia alternativa.

“Estem en una cruïlla”, afirmava Hoesung Lee, president de l’IPCC, després de la publicació de l’informe. Lee veu factible aturar el canvi climàtic si existeix la voluntat política: “Les decisions que prenguem ara poden assegurar un futur habitable. Disposem de les eines i els coneixements necessaris per a limitar l’escalfament”.

Anys crítics per davant

El problema del canvi climàtic és que ens estem quedant sense temps. Segons l’informe, per a limitar l’escalfament a uns 1,5 °C, és necessari que les emissions mundials de gasos d’efecte hivernacle comencin a baixar a partir de 2025, en tan sols tres anys, i es redueixin a gairebé la meitat pel 2030. A més, les emissions netes de diòxid de carboni a nivell mundial haurien de baixar a zero a principis de la dècada de 2050.

“Comptar amb les polítiques, la infraestructura i la tecnologia adequades per a permetre canvis en els nostres estils de vida i comportaments pot suposar una reducció del 40-70 % de les emissions de gasos d’efecte hivernacle per al 2050”, explicava Priyadarshi Shukla, un dels autors de l’estudi.

A més, Shukla indicava que “si prenem les mesures necessàries per a limitar l’escalfament a 2 °C o menys, el Producte Interior Brut (PIB) mundial seria només uns pocs punts percentuals menor al 2050 que si mantenim les polítiques actuals”.

Múltiples mesures possibles

Segons l’informe, la reducció de les emissions a les zones urbanes pot aconseguir-se mitjançant un menor consum d’energia (amb ciutats més compactes i peatonals), l’electrificació del transport en combinació amb fonts d’energia de baixes emissions i una major captació de CO₂ gràcies als espais verds. Un dels líders de la recerca, Jim Skea, destacava en particular la importància de l’eficiència energètica dels edificis per a reduir les emissions urbanes.

A més, algunes solucions fins i tot poden ajudar a limitar els impactes associats al canvi climàtic. Per exemple, les xarxes de parcs, els aiguamolls i l’agricultura urbana poden reduir el risc d’inundacions i els efectes de les illes de calor.

La reducció de les emissions en la indústria, que suposen una quarta part del total, requerirà nous processos de producció, generació d’energia elèctrica de baixes o nul·les emissions, hidrogen i, quan sigui necessari, la captura i l’emmagatzematge de carboni, segons l’informe. També un ús més eficient dels materials i la reducció de residus.

En el cas de materials bàsics com l’acer, els materials de construcció i els productes químics, l’informe adverteix que ja s’estan assajant processos de producció amb emissions de gasos d’efecte hivernacle baixos o nuls.

L’informe mostra que, si bé els fluxos financers són entre tres i sis vegades inferiors als necessaris per a limitar l’escalfament per sota dels 2 °C al 2030, hi ha suficient capital i liquiditat a nivell mundial per a aconseguir la inversió requerida. Per això, reclama senyals clars a governs i institucions internacionals, així com una major coordinació.

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Com és possible que contamini una cosa que no existeix físicament? El cert és que les criptomonedes requereixen gran quantitat d’energia per a les granges de minat. De fet, si el bitcoin fos un país, se situaria entre els 30 principals consumidors d’electricitat del món, com explica l’agent d’11Onze Aitor Canudas.

Tan sols uns dies després de la primera transacció de bitcoins, que es va realitzar al gener de 2009, el pioner de la criptografia Hal Finney mostrava a Twitter la seva preocupació sobre les emissions de CO₂ que generaria aquesta criptomoneda. I no anava errat.

Un estudi de la Universitat de Cambridge calcula que la xarxa bitcoin consumeix més de 121 TWh d’energia anualment, la qual cosa vol dir que, si fos un país,  se situaria “entre els 30 principals consumidors mundials d’electricitat”, segons Canudas. De fet, per a que ens fem una idea de la magnitud de les dades, l’agent d’11Onze indica que aquesta criptomoneda gairebé consumeix tanta electricitat com Suècia i genera més emissions de CO₂ que Las Vegas.

La raó és que els processos necessaris per a les operacions de les criptomonedes requereixen una gran quantitat d’equips informàtics, les “granges de minat” i, per tant, una enorme quantitat d’energia. “Aquest conjunt de processos informàtics necessaris per validar les transaccions i generar nous blocs representa un 0,2 % del consum mundial d’electricitat”, especifica Aitor Canudas.

El problema és especialment greu en el cas del bitcoin, ja que, com advertia recentment Bill Gates, aquesta criptomoneda és la que consumeix més electricitat per transacció. D’aquí que, segons estimacions del Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), l’ús dels bitcoins generi una petjada de carboni cada any d’entre 22 i 22,9 megatones.

L’origen brut d’una energia neta

Si bé normalment veiem l’electricitat com una energia neta, això depèn bàsicament del seu origen. Sobretot a Àsia, i especialment a la Xina, gran part de l’electricitat generada prové de la combustió de carbó, que resulta molt contaminant. Per això, el fet que un altíssim percentatge de les granges de minat se situïn en aquesta regió per aconseguir els preus de l’electricitat més assequibles multiplica la petjada de carboni.

De cara a preservar el medi ambient, Aitor Canudas assenyala la necessitat d’augmentar el percentatge d’energies renovables en l’electricitat que s’utilitza “per crear els nous blocs i fer les transaccions del bitcoin”. Una altra alternativa que apunta l’agent d’11Onze seria recórrer a criptomonedes alternatives, com el cardano, “que en teoria contaminen menys que el bitcoin”.

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In the face of natural (or pandemic) disasters, society is forced to change and evolve. There is no option to do anything. Uncontrollable circumstances force the creation of change-resilient communities.

Global warming and climate change make us more vulnerable to natural disasters. The UN’s head of Disaster Risk Reduction, Mami Mizutori, warned that in the next twenty years the number of disasters or catastrophes will double, and the cause for 90% of these will be related to climate change.

Added to this are factors such as poverty, air pollution, population growth, and uncontrolled or risky urbanization. The result: more hazardous areas and more people at risk. Our present and future will be marked by constant change, whether natural, technological, political, or social.

We are condemned to live in a changing world, but are we prepared for it? We analyse how adaptation, an intrinsic human characteristic, will be key to building resilient societies of the future.

Avoiding change or preventing it?

In the face of a disaster, or a situation of general change, the worst thing we can do is to do nothing. This is why Margareta Wahlström, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, stresses the importance of taking action to minimize disasters. Some, such as those related to climate change, we have the capacity to help to prevent. But for those we cannot avoid, we need to build societies that are resilient to change, and the urgency is to do so before the next disaster strikes, as Wahlström describes in her article.

Teaching this is essential at all levels. Every euro invested in prevention can save up to seven euros in recovery. And here the resilience of the population is a key factor. We must train our minds to make them more resilient to change, and leave behind the traditional view that links change with fear and a refusal to evolve.

Back to the point of equilibrium

Adaptation to change is a human characteristic, even from a biological point of view. This is what is known as homeostasis, a concept created in 1865 by the physician Claude Bernard, and which refers to the general tendency of an organism to re-establish balance and internal stability. From a psychological point of view, the reading is that in situations of change, people tend to find equilibrium again, i.e. that both change and stabilization are two undeniable constants in human life.

For his part, Darwin also came close to this idea in his evolutionary process, arguing that evolution is nothing more than having the ability to adapt to new environments.

Change is evolution

The psychologist Jean Piaget theorized that the main characteristic, and therefore the distinguishing feature of living beings, is precisely this ability to self-regulate. Our system, from the most biological to the psychological part, is capable of recovering or restoring damaged structures. Therefore, a living being is dynamic and active by nature, and change is nothing more than the survival response of our body in an attempt to adapt to the environment.

Piaget differentiated between two ways of adaptation: assimilation, which consists of including novelties in our already defined schemas. And accommodation, which modifies the schemas to adapt them to new demands. Putting theory into practice, in the pandemic era we may have felt identified with one system or the other depending on our behaviour: have we incorporated the new habits into our daily routine, or have we modified it to create a new routine based on the current moment?

Whichever way we have positioned ourselves in the face of change, the important thing is to have gone through the process of adaptation. This is what can save us from constant change: action, fleeing from denial and stagnation, and opening up the possibility that each change presents us with a new scenario that is challenging enough to force us to rethink everything, with no alternative but to evolve.

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The world is facing a food crisis. Food prices are soaring and consumers are changing their habits. The new situation is both a challenge and an opportunity for the Catalan agri-food industry.

The anticipated CPI for September stood at 8.9%, mainly due to higher fuel and food prices, according to the INE. And it rains on wet weather if we analyse the evolution of the prices of the shopping basket, despite the fact that the year-on-year inflation of food and non-alcoholic beverages was 6.2%, decreasing two tenths of a percentage point compared to the previous month. Particularly noteworthy were the high prices of basic products such as meat, bread, cereals, pulses, vegetables, milk, cheese and eggs.

The majority of consumers in Spain have noticed these changes and 75% have already changed their shopping habits, according to a survey by the consultancy firm McKinsey. Between April and May, half of them have tried the supermarket’s own brand, 30% have changed brands and 26% say they have changed shops or distributors. Undoubtedly, the main reason is the search for better prices.

Moreover, according to a report by the insurance company Allianz, if producers end up passing on the increase in their costs to the final price of foodstuffs, especially due to the rise in fuel, electricity and fertilisers, the shopping basket will become 13% more expensive this year in Spain. It should be borne in mind that European households already spend on average between 12% and 25% of their income, depending on the country, on food and drinks. Many family economies could therefore be strangled.

A stimulus for local shops

The major impact of fuel prices on distribution chains could be a boost for local commerce, as reflected in the report “The agri-food sector in Catalonia”, produced by Acció and Prodeca. In this sense, both producers and distributors will have to adjust their strategies to become more competitive.

The food crisis represents an opportunity for the sector in Catalonia, although it is not without risks. Led by the meat industries, the agri-food sector is one of the clear benchmarks of the Catalan economy, as it generates 19.2% of GDP, with a global turnover of 43 billion euros. The primary sector accounts for almost 11% of the total; the food and beverage industry, 70%; and the auxiliary industry more than 19%.

In this new context, some local producers and distributors, especially those in the primary sector, will be able to increase their market share in Catalonia, as their products will become more competitive with imported products. In any case, no one can overlook the major trends and challenges in the sector that the Acció and Prodeca report points out. 

Three areas of action

To begin with, in regard to the environmental impact, it will be necessary to take into account the importance of a sustainable production, based on the circular bioeconomy and precision agriculture, or aspects such as the reduction of plastic waste. Food traceability will make it possible to identify its sustainability and ensure its authenticity.

Opportunities for new products in the field of healthy eating also stand out. This includes products that contribute to reducing the incidence of certain diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular pathologies, etc.), functional products and the area of nutrigenetics, which tends to increasingly personalise food according to the genetic characteristics of the consumer.

A third field of action is innovation. Technology should facilitate the launch of new ingredients, additives and food supplements. Moreover, the implementation of Industry 4.0 in the sector should preclude taking advantage of Big Data or the Internet of Things.

More difficulties for exporting companies

In general, companies with a greater dependence on exports will suffer the most in adapting to a change in the market. It could be said that the Catalan agri-food sector has eaten up the world in recent years, as its foreign sales are close to 13,000 million and account for 16% of Catalan exports. 

In some cases, therefore, it will be difficult for growth in the domestic market to balance the loss of presence abroad. A clear example is meat and sausages, whose exports are equivalent to almost 4.6 billion euros (36% of the total), highly concentrated in pork.

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