Kidde Smoke Alarm Beeps Every 30 Secs

Reguant FRANCISCO (Economist)

has been said that Catalonia is a European territory with more moves

NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard

, ie, not in my backyard) . If you want to build a prison in town, organized a platform because that is not built in this town, no question that there must have prisons, it is simply placed in any other place. The same happens with a focus on drug addicts, a road, a train, a power line, a landfill, a wastewater treatment plant. Consistently exercised the right of action against non-essential to the development and future of the territory it seeks to defend.

Someone wanted to see in these movements a sign of maturity of a society that is able to defend their rights. Conversely, I am inclined to think that this phenomenon responds to other causes that have as common denominator the distancing of the citizens of the public, which may be a source of social irresponsibility and should seriously worry about. In turn, as collateral damage, it denatures the movements are based on the legitimate aspirations a better distribution of burdens or discomforts to territorial actions or proposals that raise critical choices clear improvement on the projects in question, improvements that may affect the environment, landscape, etc.. before, for example, each neighbor clearing his sidewalk because it was considered their duty to clean the sidewalk today costejats municipal services through taxes paid by citizens. It is an obvious progress, but the road may have lost sight of the process, its costs and limitations, and become visible only at the right service. We are having a real country rights and duties to unreal that there are only rights. And without a balancing of costs and responsibilities, rights have neither roof nor measure. The predictable result

against the proliferation of movements is the NIMBY stalemate. A no to everything. But it can not be a luxury that is no longer within our reach. Today the land is flat and is also smaller. And in a more open and more tight, take advantage of resources and reduce the impact of shortages can mean survival. Catalonia is not an exception can not be indifferent to international concerns. On key issues such as energy, water and food, have clear weaknesses, for scarcity and external dependence that we have. The 2008 report of the International Energy Agency raises a disturbing scenario, a future of higher prices, and concludes: "Time is running and the time to act is now." In food, the FAO has launched the challenge of doubling global production on the horizon of 2050. Even former U.S. President Bill Clinton recently declared the need to return to a policy of maximum agricultural self-sufficiency. It seems a reasonable target to optimize the potential of energy self-sufficiency and improve the level of a strategic asset such as food, something only can be done with water.

Given these objectives are fully reject any reactions that transform the environment. They just declared illegal a few windmills (the few we have) for a lawsuit filed by an environmental organization. The irrigation systems are put in question because they impact on the steppe birds, when Spain is the country with more wilderness in Europe, after Russia. No doubt should be avoided unsustainable impacts, but not the way to go with a view back. This is an error that hinders the dialogue on the scope and objective basis for solutions. We arrived late to consider that, without more, is not modify the natural environment in which we live. The history of mankind is the history of the transformation of the environment to suit the needs of man. Currently available technology and awareness to manage natural resources sustainably. This is the path.

NOT A contradiction in thinking that sustainable progress will require artificial measures, aimed specifically at ensuring the natural balance of a planet so conditioned by human action. One living area, with proper management, is the best guarantee for its preservation. Contrary thinking is not sustainable that we can not do anything. Unless you intend to reduce of radical or the planet's population drastically sacrificing the quality of life. If this is not meant the denial in its purest form becomes unconscious or mere hypocrisy.

The economic crisis creates problems, but can also be the opportunity for political power from the tick expressly set forth rigorous discourse of austerity, the sense of objectivity and lack of power, opening step progress by way of the realities imperfect but better than the previous criteria of balance, with costs and benefits. A cultural change needed on which to establish a public commitment to the future.

El Periódico de Catalunya, 27/01/2009