The recent celebration of the Social Alternative Petroleum Meeting (ESAP), which took place in Madrid between June 27 and July 3 of this year, has once again highlighted the growing social opposition to the current energy model, based on the fossil fuels.
This happens precisely at a time when, according to Ecologists in Action, one of the entities present in the ESAP, the so-called global oil peak is being reached, from which the oil reserves will inevitably begin to decline and will only remain exploit the lowest quality oil and higher economic, social and environmental cost.
Ecologists in Action explains that this expensive oil will last for 30 more years, and disputes that can occur due to its control can have serious consequences in the form of wars and natural disasters. In this context it is necessary to change the energy model. The organization's coordinator, Luis González, lists the keys to this new path: “the decrease in energy consumption in the North so that the countries of the South can develop, the increase in energy efficiency through production and consumption circuits as short as possible, and a matrix of renewable energies based on the Sun ”.
Mario Cuéllar, president of Globalízate, another of the organizing associations of ESAP, adds that we must also act decisively against greenhouse gas emissions, the main causes of climate change. Cuellar defends the implementation of a point credit system with carbon that each person should consume at most per year. “Those who spend their quota should buy points from those who spend less, ” says Cuellar.
Globalízate also defends the creation of an international court of environmental justice with scientific advice to verify that the commitments to reduce emissions and the capacity to impose heavy fines on violators are being fulfilled.
But fossil fuels not only have environmental and economic consequences. The livelihoods of the populations are also affected by the industrial projects of the sector. This was reported during the ESAP by the militant members of the Citizen Refinery No Platform, which emerged almost four years ago in Extremadura after the construction of the Balboa Refinery was announced in this region, an initiative promoted by the Alfonso Gallardo Group and supported by the Junta de Extremadura, which has a 20% participation in the project through the investment company SOFIEX. The refinery will be located in the Sierra de San Jorge, in the municipality of Los Santos de Maimona (Badajoz).
This area belongs to the District of Tierra de Barros, an area rich in vine and olive crops. "Here 80% of the grapes are produced and 60% of the region's oil" highlights one of the platform spokesmen, Leonardo Clemente, who adds that the installation of a The refinery would undoubtedly have detrimental effects on the quality and commercialization of these traditional products. "When it is said that the refinery will create employment, we say how many will be destroyed, " Clemente insists.
The platform spokesperson said that the project will also have inevitable consequences for the health of the inhabitants. Clemente recalls that the National Epidemiology Center of the Carlos III Health Institute recently pointed out in a report that the triangle Huelva Sevilla Cádiz is the area of Spain with the greatest Cancer mortality rate due to industrial pollution. The implantation of a heavy industry in Extremadura could cause an increase of this type of diseases in the region.
On the other hand, the spokesman laments “the tremendous democratic deficit when presenting the project. Rodriguez Ibarra (then regional president) said it was a political decision taken and that there was no going back. There is no citizenship at the time of decision making. ”
Clemente is committed to a development model without refinery for Tierra de Barros, based on the commitment to the traditional economy of the area, renewable energy and the promotion of natural and historical tourism . “In fact, the area where the refinery would be located crosses the Camino de Santiago, which would be severely affected. The project is also counterproductive for the tourism of typical spas in the region ”.
The refinery's works should have started in 2006, as Rodriguez Ibarra said, which said the facilities would be ready by the end of this year. The reality is that these works have not yet begun, due in large part to the mobilization of the citizen platform, which will be manifested for the fourth time on the day of Extremadura the next September 7th. If the project is finally discarded, it will be an important victory for all who think that another world (without oil) is possible.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Address: www.ecologistasenaccion.org; www.globalizate.org; www.plataformarefineriano.es
