A new phase in the tech Cold War

While the United States and the European Union have already channelled nearly 75 billion euros into the production of next-generation semiconductors, Washington is intensifying sanctions against China to avoid losing a strategic battle for technological supremacy that will have global implications.

In recent years, the technology war between the United States and China has intensified in producing integrated circuits essential to several applications, from smartphones to automobiles, and military equipment to scientific research.

For decades, the US has dominated the microchip production industry, with companies such as Intel, Qualcomm, and Nvidia giving it a strategic advantage in an increasingly digitised world. Although they currently have only a 10% share of global semiconductor production, they dominate the value chain by 40%. In addition, they have absolute control over the large microchip producers in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, as well as over ASML, the leading Dutch company in the development and manufacture of photolithography machines used to produce these integrated circuits.

The entry of new players such as China is seen as a threat to US technological hegemony. In this context, for years Washington has been approving a series of sanctions to castrate the Asian giant’s technological development and competition on national security justifications while forcing its client states to apply the same restrictions.

More sanctions and more subsidies

As Bloomberg reported on Sunday, the United States and the European Union have already channelled nearly 75 billion euros into the production of next-generation semiconductors, intensifying a global stand-off with China over chip supremacy. Last month alone, US administration officials announced 5.65 billion in grants to Micron Technology Inc., the largest US maker of computer memory chips.

This is the first phase of an investment of some 351 billion euros earmarked by governments in the US sphere of influence to boost the development and production of the most advanced microprocessors.

At the same time, Washington has revoked licences that still allowed companies such as Intel and Qualcomm to sell some chips for laptops and mobile phones to Huawei, the already-sanctioned Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer.

For its part, Beijing has recently announced subsidies for companies that purchase domestically produced artificial intelligence (AI) chips. Under this initiative, the city aims to be 100 per cent self-sufficient in smart computing infrastructure hardware and software by 2027.

“There’s no question that we’ve passed the Rubicon in terms of technological competition with China, particularly in semiconductors,” said Jimmy Goodrich, a senior China official and strategic technology advisor to Rand Corp. “Both sides have basically made this one of their top national strategic objectives.”

The negative impact of sanctions

Sanctions and export controls have not only hurt China, limiting its access to the latest generation of semiconductors, but also on Western companies that have lost a large share of the market and revenues.

On the other hand, this has accelerated technological development and competition from Chinese companies in a sector also considered strategic for their government, which is intensifying its domestic investments in more advanced chips, while reducing the market shares of US companies.

Similarly, Taiwanese chipmakers, which currently own almost half of the world’s chip production capacity, are likely to see their global market share decline as a result of China’s investment drive. As technology and national security become increasingly intertwined, Western sanctions against semiconductors are unlikely to temper the Asian giant’s ambitions.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

If you already trade cryptocurrencies through the Bitvavo platform that 11Onze Recommends, we give you 6 tips to increase the security of your account. Take advantage of Bitvavo’s tips and promotions and learn how the world of cryptocurrencies works.

During this month of July Bitvavo is offering two promotions for those users who sign up to the platform. But not only this, it also gives us ideas to improve the security of our account. To explain: 

1. Enabling two-factor authentication. The first step in securing your Bitvavo account is to enable two-factor authentication (2FA). This adds an extra layer of security in a very simple way: by requiring a unique code generated by an authentication application. This makes unauthorised access much more difficult, so it’s a great barrier against hackers.
   Another thing: if you use an authentication application, one of those that recognise you on all devices, do not synchronise Bitvavo codes with your personal account. Keep them only on your device.
2. Use a strong password. How can you create a strong password? Well, it’s not complicated: avoid using common words, phrases or personal information that can be easily guessed. A combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters is always recommended. But do yourself a favour and write it down somewhere so you don’t forget it!
3. Keep your account information private. It’s a no-brainer, but it’s worth remembering: never share your Bitvavo account details with anyone. This includes your password, security question and API keys. Also, beware of phishing scams and fake emails that may try to steal your personal information. Remember, neither Bitvavo nor 11Onze will ever ask for your account information via email or a phone call.
4. Secure your email. Your email is linked to Bitvavo, so it would be a good idea to enhance your security as well. That’s why you can activate two-factor authentication and regularly check for account leaks. There are tools to check for this, such as haveibeenpwned.com. Another option is to create an email address just for your Bitvavo transactions.
5. Use the anti-phishing code. If you activate the anti-phishing code, it will be included in all automatically generated emails sent by Bitvavo. With this code, you can check if the email really comes from Bitvavo. You can change your anti-phishing code by following the instructions here. Or by watching the video linked below.
6. Try to stay informed. Regularly check your accounts, the official blogs and La Plaça. This will help you stay informed about any security issues or updates to the platform.
7. EXTRA: Blocking fund withdrawals. Bitvavo also allows you to totally block withdrawals. This way, you can only trade in cryptocurrencies, but you can never withdraw money in euros. This prevents the possibility that someone can impersonate the user and download the money. The Dutch platform explains in this article how to block deposit withdrawals and how to re-enable them when necessary.

How to use the anti-phishing code.

11Onze Recommands Bitvavo, cryptocurrencies easily, safely and at a low price.

Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence on which applications such as ChatGPT are based. Ariadna Font, a leading international authority in machine learning and ethics, talks to us about the possible applications of these new technologies and the ethical challenges they pose.

The emergence of artificial intelligence through applications such as ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is changing our lives and revolutionising many jobs. The evolution of machine learning aims to develop algorithms and systems that can learn and make predictions from data or from interaction with users. “It allows computer systems to automatically improve their performance in a specific task through experience,” says Font.

This technology is being used in various fields such as health, security, commerce, robotics, and industry to automate processes, perform financial operations, detect fraud and diagnose diseases. However, their use also raises a number of ethical challenges that need to be considered.

Unintended consequences

If algorithms are trained on data reflecting societal biases and inequalities, the results can be unfair to specific individuals or groups and lead to discrimination. This is of particular concern in contexts such as recruitment, law enforcement and lending, where prejudice can have a significant impact. As Font explains, “machine learning models can make important decisions that affect our lives, so it is very important to consider what effects these decisions have on us”.

On the other hand, machine learning can put people’s privacy and security at risk. For example, the data used to train the algorithms may contain personal and sensitive medical information, and if not properly protected, it can be stolen or misused.

To address these ethical challenges, it is significant for designers and developers of this technology to adopt an ethical perspective and think about the implications for individuals and society at large. Adopting privacy protection practices, considering fairness and equality in data selection or ensuring transparency will be essential to ensure that the ethical and human side is not lost with the implementation of artificial intelligence.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

The idea that new technologies will free us from the most arduous tasks and allow us to devote more time to family, leisure and personal development is not new. From agricultural mechanisation to the industrial revolution, every major transformation has been accompanied by the promise of a better life.

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has revived this old dream: could it be the beginning of a new era of shared prosperity? Or, on the contrary, are we facing a new phase of precariousness and concentration of power?

History shows us a paradox of progress. Technology has always increased productivity, but this has not automatically translated into greater well-being. The clearest example is the working day: it took decades of trade union struggle for the eight-hour day to be recognised, even though machines already made it possible to work much more efficiently.

Today, the same tension is repeating itself. A study by the AMB estimates that the minimum wage necessary to live with dignity is €1,516.73 per month, an amount well above the current minimum wage. Productivity has grown, but wages and living conditions have not always kept pace.

AI is everywhere

AI is already present in all sectors: it optimises industrial processes, replaces administrative tasks and even makes decisions in the financial world. According to the OECD, more than a quarter of jobs in Europe could be affected by automation. This could mean less workload for people, but also the massive loss of repetitive jobs and the creation of a gap between those who control technology and those who suffer its effects. Opportunities exist — efficiency, error reduction, time savings — but so do risks: inequality, unemployment and concentration of power.

The debate is not only economic, but also political. Digital technologies, such as central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), show how innovation can be two-sided: on the one hand, they promise greater efficiency and security in transactions; on the other, they can limit privacy and increase government control over citizens. AI, like CBDCs, is not neutral: its impact will depend on who designs it and for what purposes. In a context marked by crony capitalism, the danger is that the benefits of technology will serve above all to enrich a minority to the detriment of the population as a whole.

Alternatives that balance the scales

However, there are alternatives that point towards a more balanced future. Several countries have experimented with a four-day working week, with positive results in terms of productivity and well-being. In Iceland, for example, a study involving more than 1% of the population showed improvements in health and work-life balance.

The idea of a universal basic income has also been put forward as a mechanism to guarantee security in a world with fewer stable jobs. These measures, combined with automation, could make the dream of a society that works less and lives better a reality. In fact, OECD reports show that countries with fewer working hours tend to have higher happiness indices and higher levels of life satisfaction.

What to do with AI?

Ultimately, the answer to the initial question will not be defined by AI itself, but by the collective decisions we make. If the profits derived from automation are redistributed in the form of decent wages, reduced working hours and improved public services, AI could become a tool for liberation. But if, as has already happened with other advances, the benefits remain concentrated in a few large corporations and extractive dynamics are maintained, the promise of a better life could become a dystopia of greater inequality and control.

The real question, then, is not what AI will do to us, but what we will decide to do with AI. The future is not written: it depends on whether society is capable of transforming technological progress into social progress. At La Plaça de 11Onze, we will continue to follow this debate closely to understand how technology affects our lives and finances, and to prepare for a future that, if we build it collectively, could be much better.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

In a new episode of La Plaça en Territori 17 we analyze how a key industry is adapting in the fight against climate change and in the creation of wealth. The director of 11 Onze District, Gemma Vallet explains how this sector is transforming.

The automobile industry carries the stigma of being one of the most polluting on the planet but, in turn, it is also one of the most important for the economies of many countries. That is why it is imperative that the industry transform. In a context of constant global warming and with an economy that is hanging by a thread, it is necessary to drastically reduce the ecological footprint while trying to avoid major damage to the economy. Is this possible? Currently it is very uncertain.

In this episode of Radio Cardedeu’s La Plaça en el Territori 17, the director of 11Onze District Gemma Vallet analyzes the electrification of the automobile industry. “By 2028, internationally, it is estimated that 17 million electric vehicles will be sold,” says Vallet. As Gemma Vallet explains, despite the drop in car sales resulting from the economic crisis and the pandemic, “in Europe in 2022, 12% of vehicles were already electric.”

Among the pending challenges for the industry, Vallet includes the need to improve the network of available plugs and lower the price of the final product. “Currently the industry is passing on the increase in production costs,” said Vallet, and this fact is becoming a barrier to entry for many users. In this sense, the attached conversation also points to other innovative mobility alternatives, such as San Francisco, which is bringing goods to the city center via cable cars.

If you want to listen to this episode of La Plaça in Territori 17, it is available on 11OTV and in this article.

The 153 companies dedicated to immersive technologies in Catalonia have a turnover of 136.6 million euros and employ 900 people. In Europe, the sector is expected to reach an annual growth of 36% and a market value of 66,000 million euros by 2026.

Metaverse, holograms, virtual reality, mixed reality and augmented reality are some of the immersive technologies. The digital transformation has merged the physical and virtual worlds, transforming concepts that not long ago were considered science fiction into a palpable reality that is already part of many people’s daily lives.

All these technologies are experiencing exponential growth and promise to change how we perceive the world and interact with information. Sectors such as education, entertainment, medicine, design, industry and tourism will be transformed with new opportunities for creation and innovation.

This is an industry that globally has an annual growth of 38% thanks to increased investment in immersive technologies, the adoption of these technologies in the health sector, in education and the emergence of the metaverse and web 3.0. Catalonia is already part of this technological ecosystem, and a study by ACCIÓ details, for the first time, the situation of the Catalan immersive technologies sector.

Startups and companies less than 10 years old

According to the report prepared by the Agency for Business Competitiveness, the 153 Catalan companies specialising in immersive technologies have an aggregate turnover of 136.6 million euros, employing nearly 900 people. The study confirms that this is a growing sector since 58.2% of the total number of companies are less than 10 years old and a third (32.7%) are start-ups. In addition, 19% are exporters.

Specifically, 66% of the companies are dedicated to virtual reality, while 48.4% specialise in augmented reality, followed by 16.3% that focus on the metaverse. By sector, 39.2% of these companies work in the field of entertainment, 17% in industry 4.0, 11.8% in training and 10.5% in health.

In this context, the study points out that the Catalan territory is endowed with an ecosystem of support that complements the business fabric of immersive technologies: technology centres and research institutes, universities and training centres, associations and equipment, clusters, public administration, as well as world-renowned trade fairs and conferences such as the MWC, the ISE, the IoT Solutions World Congress or the Advanced Factories.

ACCIÓ also highlights that at the European level, annual growth of 36% is forecast and that the sector will reach 66 billion euros in 2026. Likewise, on a global scale, the study anticipates immersive technologies will consolidate their annual growth of 38% and have an aggregate market value of 605 billion euros in 2028.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

A diferència de les divises fiat, el Bitcoin és una moneda digital descentralitzada que no està sotmesa al control d’un govern o banc central. El seu valor no està definit per una entitat, sinó que es deriva de la confiança del consumidor. Però en què es fonamenta aquesta confiança?

Tot i les diferències, les criptomonedes com el Bitcoin comparteixen algunes similituds amb les monedes fiduciàries tradicionals a les quals tots estem acostumats. Per tant, és important entendre què dona valor als diners fiat abans d’analitzar per què hi ha un gran nombre de persones que veuen al bitcoin com un dipòsit de valor.

Lluny queda un sistema monetari segons el qual el valor de les divises està sostingut per la seva convertibilitat a l’or. D’ençà que el president Richard Nixon va reunir el seu equip a Camp David per anunciar que suspenia la convertibilitat del dòlar amb l’or. El dòlar va passar de ser una moneda que basava el seu valor en l’existència d’una contrapartida en or, a ser una moneda fiduciària, diners fiat, amb un valor que deriva de la relació entre l’oferta i la demanda i l’estabilitat del govern emissor. 

Així doncs, els governs i els bancs centrals poden crear diners per ampliar la seva oferta monetària i estimular la despesa a través de mecanismes econòmics sense preocupar-se de tenir suficients reserves d’or, almenys això és la teoria. Per tant, tot i que aquestes monedes fiduciàries no estan sostingudes per actius tangibles, el seu valor és causat per la confiança col·lectiva en les divises. Com a contrapartida, les polítiques monetàries dels governs i banc centrals, així com l’evolució de l’economia poden fer fluctuar aquesta confiança i el valor de la moneda. 

Descentralització, seguretat i oferta limitada

L’ecosistema monetari del Bitcoin està totalment descentralitzat, és a dir, cap autoritat central regula la base monetària, eliminant la necessitat d’intermediaris i atorgant als usuaris més control sobre les seves transaccions financeres. En eliminar les autoritats centrals, es democratitza la creació de moneda, donant més poder i llibertat a la comunitat d’usuaris.

La creació de Bitcoins segueix unes regles detallades en un protocol molt estricte que es basa en la tecnologia blockchain. Aquesta tecnologia de cadena de blocs utilitza algoritmes criptogràfics i la fa més segures que les monedes físiques i altament immune a crisis. A més, si l’usuari vol fer una transferència o un pagament, té total llibertat, ni el banc, ni VISA, ni Mastercard l’han d’autoritzar. Aquestes característiques i el fet milers de comerciants ja accepten Bitcoin com a pagament per béns i serveis, li han donat un valor d’utilitat.

Per altra banda, des de la seva introducció, es va establir un límit màxim de 21 milions de monedes que es poden minar, la qual cosa introduïa un element d’escassetat intrínsec que també contribueix a donar-li valor, quan tenim en compte la relació entre preu i escassetat. És per això que molta gent considera el Bitcoin com a reserva de valor, tot i la seva volatilitat. La regulació global dels criptoactius i la competència amb altres monedes digitals marcaran el futur del Bitcoin, però en última instància, serà la confiança de la gent el que assegurarà, o no, la seva existència.             

11Onze Recomana Bitvavo, les criptomonedes de manera fàcil, segura i a baix preu.

Avui dia ja podem accedir a les nostres finances, a les aplicacions o a dades personals sense necessitat d’ensenyar el document d’identitat en paper. A 11Onze analitzem com la digitalització de la identitat pot ajudar a reduir les desigualtats i millorar la qualitat de vida de la ciutadania d’arreu del món.

Un dels avantatges més celebrats de la digitalització és el fet de simplificar tràmits amb l’administració que impliquen una inversió de temps i diners important. Ara, ja podem aconseguir el padró sense haver-nos de desplaçar a l’Ajuntament; podem fer la declaració de la renda, amb assessorament inclòs, sense sortir de casa; o bé obtenir un certificat oficial, tot i viure en un poble, sense necessitat d’anar a la sucursal d’una gran ciutat. Aquest és un nou escenari de gestions en línia que gràcies a la identificació digital ens aporta agilitat i seguretat.

Aquesta utopia que, a poc a poc, esdevé la nostra quotidianitat, pot portar beneficis significatius a escala social, tant per a la ciutadania com per a l’administració, com ara reduir el frau o aconseguir un empoderament econòmic més inclusiu. Tot això, però, només s’aconseguirà si aquesta tecnologia es fa servir correctament.

El primer gran repte, identificar la població

Segons dades del Banc Mundial, de les 7.600 milions de persones que hi ha al món, gairebé 1.000 milions no tenen cap mena d’identificació reconeguda legalment. Els 6.000 milions restants es reparteixen entre aquelles persones que, tot i tenir identificació legal, no disposen de mecanismes per fer-la servir en l’àmbit digital i aquells que viuen en països on la identificació digital ja és una realitat, com és el cas de Catalunya.

A escala global, fer tràmits administratius o tributaris en línia no és tan habitual com a molts de nosaltres ens pot semblar, i això obre un altre debat: si oferir nous canals digitals implica més oportunitats i facilitats per a la ciutadania, la falta d’accés comporta més desigualtats? Tant els canals de comunicació com els processos administratius han adoptat la via digital com a punt de referència, i en tot aquest procés la tecnologia ha deixat enrere totes aquelles persones que prefereixen els canals tradicionals, sigui per desconeixement o per falta de recursos. Una dificultat afegida per accedir a bens i serveis que amplia la desigualtat social i suposa posar en risc el lliure accés als recursos públics.

Beneficis i riscos de la identificació digital es contraposen i, com en tot balanç, l’opció que pesa més és la que pot afavorir a més ciutadania, contribuir a la millora social i servir com a eina d’evolució, no només com a substitut d’antics mètodes. En aquest punt, les entitats i organismes que treballen amb col·lectius en situació de vulnerabilitat estan guanyant protagonisme.

iSocial: innovació tecnològica en l’àmbit social

ONG i entitats socials han fet un pas endavant en la lluita social i han introduït la innovació tecnològica en un sector que fins ara se n’havia mantingut al marge. És el cas de la fundació iSocial, orientada a oferir solucions innovadores per a la lluita social. La fundació ha creat Refugee Aid App, una aplicació pensada per al col·lectiu migrant a Europa que té dificultats en el procés d’acollida.

Gràcies a l’aplicació, anomenada RefAid, es posa en contacte persones que necessiten un suport i entitats que en presten, la majoria de les quals són ONG internacionals. Actualment, ja està disponible a 14 països, entre els quals encara no hi ha l’Estat espanyol. La mateixa empresa també ha tret al mercat Lifespots, una aplicació orientada a escala local, però amb la mateixa finalitat: facilitar els canals d’ajuda comunitària.

Una de les preocupacions per a les persones que han de migrar és la por a ser retornats al país d’origen. En aquest sentit, l’aplicació ofereix la seguretat que aquestes dades només es compartiran entre organitzacions socials i amb la finalitat de garantir l’article 14 de la Declaració Universal dels Drets Humans, que protegeix “el dret a buscar asil i a gaudir d’aquest a qualsevol país”.

La identificació digital s’obre camí

Un altre exemple és Protection People app (PPa), una plataforma també impulsada per iSocial i orientada a identificar digitalment les persones en situació administrativa irregular, que són prop de 1.000 milions arreu del món. Persones migrades, que viuen en situacions d’extrema vulnerabilitat o que han patit desastres naturals o humanitaris poden trobar-se en aquesta situació. Per acompanyar-les, aquesta aplicació els ofereix coordinació amb altres ONG per detectar necessitats i obrir nous camins, gràcies a les dades biomètriques (dactilar, facial i patró de venes del palmell de la mà, que no varien amb els anys) i a l’informe vital que l’acompanya. 

Identificar persones de forma 100% digital ja és una realitat i, en part, és gràcies a aplicacions que aconsegueixen fer, en qüestió d’hores, tràmits que els governs tarden mesos o, fins i tot, anys a completar. La innovació tecnològica en l’àmbit social obre un nou escenari per combatre la desigualtat social i aportar seguretat i facilitats a la ciutadania d’arreu del món.

11Onze s’està convertint en un fenomen com a primera comunitat fintech de Catalunya. Ara, llança la primera versió d’El Canut, la super app d’11Onze, per a Android i Apple. Des d’El Canut es pot obrir el primer compte universal al territori català.

L’impacte del canvi climàtic en el medi ambient, l’economia i la societat és cada vegada més evident. Per entendre i fer front a aquest fenomen els científics es basen en complexes models de predicció que són crucials per valorar els riscos de l’escalfament global. 

Les projeccions climàtiques són essencials per tal d’avaluar els efectes de l’escalfament global i els riscos que en resulten. Així, els models de predicció del canvi climàtic són simulacions tècniques de la futura evolució del clima a la Terra que s’obtenen mitjançant l’execució i estudi de models numèrics. Aquestes simulacions es poden fer en un àmbit global o regional i es basen en les lleis de la física, la química, la biologia i la dinàmica atmosfèrica.

Els models climàtics globals (MCG) els realitzen l’equip de tècnics i científics del Grup Intergovernamental sobre el Canvi Climàtic (GICC) amb seu a Ginebra i que depèn de les Nacions Unides. Es tracta d’un organisme multinacional que investiga les causes i efectes del canvi climàtic arreu del món i s’encarrega a portar a terme les negociacions relatives als diferents escenaris que es preveuen, com es va fer en el marc del Protocol de Kyoto.

Tot i que a l’Estat espanyol l’Agència Estatal de Meteorologia (AEMET) s’ocupa de les projeccions climàtiques regionalitzades, des de 2008 el Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya (SMC) ha realitzat diversos estudis -conjuntament amb el Barcelona Supercomputing Center- per tal d’elaborar projeccions regionalitzades del clima per al segle XXI al nostre territori.

La metodologia dels models de predicció

Amb el fi d’aconseguir una simulació fiable, els diferents models de predicció requereixen tantes dades d’entrada com sigui possible: concentració de gasos d’efecte hivernacle o aerosols a l’atmosfera, radiació solar, emissions de gasos contaminants i altres factors que poden influir en el clima.

Un cop introduïdes el conjunt de condicions inicials basades en dades observades, els models numèrics i equacions fonamentals que governen les dinàmiques de fluids, de conservació d’energia i d’altres relacionades amb la interacció entre l’atmosfera, els oceans i la superfície terrestre, ens poden indicar el comportament futur del sistema climàtic si es desenvolupen certs escenaris.

Aquests escenaris defineixen trajectòries que representen concentracions de gasos amb efecte d’hivernacle i aerosols, és a dir que tenen un origen principalment antropogènic i, per tant, depenen en gran manera del nostre comportament i decisions polítiques globals. 

Fiabilitat dels models climàtics

Primer de tot, cal tenir en compte que, a diferència d’una previsió meteorològica, els models climàtics no pretenen fer prediccions molt precises i a petita escala del que passarà en els pròxims dies, sinó que tenen com a objectiu projectar els canvis climàtics al llarg dels anys o dècades, però en cap cas estan pensats per fer una previsió del temps que farà en un futur.

És a dir, aquestes simulacions diàries s’interpreten estadísticament per produir projeccions climàtiques, donant lloc a estudis sobre la probabilitat que s’observin unes condicions meteorològiques particulars en el futur. I en aquest sentit, un estudi sobre la fiabilitat de 17 models climàtics que es remunten a principis de la dècada de 1970, va arribar a la conclusió que la majoria dels models van ser efectius en predir les temperatures de les dècades següents.

Evidentment, més enllà d’una aproximació, és difícil que un model de predicció climàtica sigui 100% correcte, però els models van millorant a mesura que avança la tecnologia i la comunitat científica té plena confiança en què aquestes simulacions són la millor eina que tenim per fer front al canvi climàtic. En tot cas, i independentment de la seva eficàcia, sabem que tenim la capacitat de reduir la quantitat de gasos d’efecte d’hivernacle que emetem al nostre planeta, i no tenim cap motiu per no fer-ho.

Si vols descobrir com beure la millor aigua, estalviar diners i ajudar al planeta, entra a Imprescindibles 11Onze.

At a time when the planet is calling for responsibility and common sense, consumption has also entered a new phase. Buying new products is no longer the only option. More and more people are choosing to extend the useful life of everything that already exists, and this has given rise to a trend that is not only here to stay, but is changing the culture of consumption: recommerce.

The concept is simple but powerful: selling and buying second-hand products through digital platforms. The goal? To reduce waste, reuse what is still useful, and avoid the overproduction that fuels the traditional consumption model. It is the practical version of the three famous Rs of the circular economy: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

This change in habits, which until a few years ago was considered minority or alternative, has spread strongly among consumers who want to save money and at the same time have a positive impact on the environment. To this end, a digital ecosystem of platforms has emerged that facilitate the sale and purchase of second-hand items in a fast, secure and affordable way. Here are some highlights:

• One of the major drivers of this revolution is Back Market, a platform specialising in refurbished technology. Smartphones, laptops, cameras, small appliances… everything passes through the hands of professionals who ensure it is in good working order before putting it up for sale. In addition, the platform itself acts as a guarantee, offering a rigorous and responsive after-sales service. It is a smart way to buy the latest technology at much more affordable prices without generating more electronic waste.
• For those who want to sell what they no longer use — or find bargains on all kinds of products — Wallapop remains one of the most popular options. This app has positioned itself as a kind of digital second-hand market, where proximity and direct contact between buyers and sellers facilitates logistics. From furniture to sports equipment, video games and children’s clothing, it is a window onto responsible and practical consumption.
• Another platform to consider is Letgo, which stands out for incorporating artificial intelligence technology. This functionality allows objects to be recognised from an image, automatically categorised and quickly published. The result is a very smooth and efficient user experience, especially useful for those who want to sell without complications.
• In the field of mobility, Coches.net has become a benchmark. This app not only allows you to buy and sell second-hand cars, but also new vehicles, motorhomes, and vans. The added value is the guarantee offered by many of the professional sellers on the platform, which generates trust and reduces risks in such a sensitive transaction as the purchase of a vehicle.
• Clothing, one of the major sources of mass consumption and pollution, also has its own specific platforms. Vinted is a fashion buying and selling community that works like a social network: people sell their clothes with photos or videos, and can follow each other. It is a fresh and fun way to give a second life to clothes we no longer use, while also renewing our wardrobe without falling into the spiral of consumption driven by fast fashion.
• We cannot forget Milanuncios, a classic classified ad site that has successfully adapted to the digital world. With a wide variety of offerings that go beyond objects—jobs, housing, services—it remains a very useful platform for all kinds of transactions, especially in more rural areas or for people looking for more traditional options.
• And when it comes to specific niches, an app like Bkie shows just how far personalisation can go within recommerce. Dedicated exclusively to the sale of bicycles and cycling equipment, it has created its own loyal and active community. With cycling on the rise, this app has managed to capture the needs of a demanding group of users who are looking for quality, good prices and trust between users.

This new way of consuming not only has environmental and economic benefits. It also changes the relationship we have with objects, makes us more aware of their value and educates us in a more mature culture of consumption, based less on novelty and more on responsible use.

Buying second-hand today is no longer synonymous with necessity, but with awareness. And recommerce is a powerful tool for making that change a reality. Through these apps, we can shop better, sell what we don’t use and actively contribute to a more sustainable, humane and efficient economy. So next time you think about buying something new, ask yourself first: do I really require it new? The answer may surprise you… and the planet will thank you for it.

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