Time to tune up the brain

The crisis brings a great chance and also a great danger for the future of green technologies. We make a choice.

It’s considered that any crisis of the system means not only negative consequences but also new opportunities for the system to be changed. The crisis we live nowadays is not excluded. Nevertheless, many defenders of the green ideas are reasonably concerned about the financial difficulties which can provoke the power and the business postponing green initiatives, widely discussed in the age of high fuel prices, for indefinite time. In March 2008, not far before than the shattering consequences of the global financial crisis started to affect the stocks, oil prices has renovated its absolute historical maximum kept unbeaten from 1980, and then fall four times in few months.

Although the nature of the nowadays’ crisis is other than that of the two oil cracks of 1974 and 1980, its consequences for the green and energy-saving technologies development are likely to be mirror-like similar (or opposite): among a lot of revolutionary ideas which were born in the age of fall, only the most economically efficient have survived in the age of rise (or vice versa). Thus, even though industry and other fields of economy get innovation stimulus during certain period of the crisis, they can’t change its nature.

Biofuel: a new export resource of Russia?

It’s not a secret that nowadays’ Russia is far behind of the EU countries in its alternative energy development. Nevertheless, the green energy subject everyday attracts more the attention of Russian businessmen and politicians, especially thanks to the fact that in the market of high traditional fuels’ prices, renewable energy projects become more rentable day by day.

This refers particularly to with biodiesel and bioethanol, products with a great exportation potential. Russian companies believe that special regulations regarding the content of biofuel in diesel fuel and gasoline approved by most of European countries will boost the sector. Although the Russian interior market has no similar regulations, the so-called “ecological” blends are already available for motorists in many regions of the country. Taking into account that the fuel price in Russia is more expensive that in US and many other countries of the world, it seems clear why vegetable oil and spirit are so readily added in Russian motorists’ tanks.

Nevertheless, the EU is the bigger import strategic market for Russian biofuels- producers. Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) estimates that 25 biofuel production sites will be in function in very close future (1). I believe that this number implicates only large-scale assets, without taking into account small sites which grows like mushrooms after the rain. Judging by Russian press monitoring, to which I dedicate myself professionally, biofuel projects have been launched recently with a rather high frequency, and foreign investment funds are usually participates in them.

Биотопливо: новый экспортный ресурс России?

Не секрет, что по развитию возобновляемых источников электроэнергетики Россия значительно уступает странам европейского союза. Тем не менее, тема зеленой энергетики все чаще занимает умы российских бизнесменов и чиновников, чаще всего в силу того, что вследствие роста цен на традиционные источники энергии, проекты в области альтернативной энергетики становятся все более рентабельными.

When power brings poverty

Or why billion pounds invested to energy services may fly out through the breaches

(Print version in the Spring 2008 issue of “Ecosprinter“)

All we are in Europe use to live under the everyday pressure of publicity: mobile operators offer new tariffs, discounts on trendy phones or presents for loyal clients. It seems no is a time for energy distributors. We used to think that light and heat in our houses is an essential part of everybody’s live, is a good everybody has a right to have wherever he or she lives. Probably you are still thinking that light and heat, as well as potable water, should be available in everybody’s house, whatever the level of incomes of a consumer. But have you ever think buying bottled water that this product has nothing to do with a right of common potable water access. No we are starting to consume perfectly packed and attractively designed heat and electricity packages. Have you receive a call from someone offering you to choose your electricity provider o tariff plan? But tell the truth, have you ever paid less after changing your mobile provider?

Energy markets liberalization, the process constantly going during the last decades in all European countries, had to bring to final consumers better prices and services. In fact, new oligopolies operated by a few energy providers have appeared again. As a rule those companies don’t own any energy sources (gas, oil, coal), but having infrastructure giving the access to a final consumer, can manipulate the prices we pay. At the same time, fuels producers from abroad, which could provide lower prices, can’t enter to the local European markets. Taking in account where Europe get the energy from, sounds clear why this regulation has so strong political implication.

Inmigrantes de segunda generación: ni sangre ni suelo

Viviendo en Barcelona, a menudo me sorprendía ver por la calle a críos que jugaban y discutían hablando catalán. Bueno, no habría nada sorprendente en esto si su cara fuera típicamente ibera, y no una mezcla de hijos de magrebíes, chinos o latinoamericanos en el mismo parque.

Viéndolos, siempre pensaba que así es como debería ser, un ejemplo de la inclusión de los inmigrantes. Porque claro que no hay nada malo en que uno reconozca como propias la lengua y la cultura del país o la región en la que nace y crece. Sin embargo, teniendo más años estos niños afrontaran un problema de autoidentificación. ¿Quién soy y a qué cultura pertenezco? ¿Mi mundo está dentro de las paredes de mi hogar familiar, o soy una parte del mundo mas grande que lo rodea? Este fue uno de los temas que discutimos con otros miembros de la FYEG durante las jornadas “Inclusión de los migrantes en la sociedad civil” que se celebraron en Helsinki a finales de enero.

Offices going green

Caprice of the West, money-cutting or the new stage of labor relations?

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(Please see the print version here)

Most Western companies are recently showing a growing care on environment responsibility towards their workers. As more and more people are getting aware on the environmental changes, the enterprises are just forced to pay more attention to this issue within their Corporate Social Responsibility policy (CSR).

Although I think it’s just blasphemous to talk about dishes made of potato or corn when the fifth part of the planet is dying of starvation. Nevertheless, work spaces in the West are turning green and that’s a fact we should know about.

The business realize that some simple habits like paper saving are good not for environment only but for the office budget as well. The costs-cutting is the same reason why energy-saving office equipment and other smart tricks are intensively implemented. But that’s not all.

Moscú y las sombras

Carolina López e Iván Leontev

Los problemas ecológicos que verdaderamente preocupan a la gente en Rusia han quedado fuera de la agenda, aunque estaban delante de los ojos de la delegación y se palpaban en el aire.

¿Hacia la creación de una sociedad civil rusa?

Carolina López e Iván Leontev

Durante la segunda jornada de la conferencia del Grupo Verde en Moscú, visitamos el Centro por la Memoria de las Víctimas de la Represión, una de las ONG más activas de la capital rusa. Durante la mesa redonda con representantes de la sociedad civil rusa, tuvimos oportunidad de escuchar de primera mano los problemas a los que se enfrentan los activistas, en su mayoría derivados de la nueva legislación para el registro de organizaciones no gubernamentales. Dicha legislación supone un escollo más en el desmoralizante panorama ruso, pues triplica los tiempos de registro legal de las organizaciones y duplica los gastos de dicho registro. Las ONG se enfrentan además a la tiranía de la oficina creada para el registro de las asociaciones, que se encarga de denunciarlas en el juzgado a la mínima falta de documentación administrativa. La situación se ve empeorada incluso por las estrictas medidas anti-incendios impuestas a las asociaciones, ya que una vez terminado el calvario en el registro, hay que superar una inspección de seguridad, y las asociaciones se enfrentan al cierre de las instalaciones.

¿Una estrategia de los Verdes para Rusia?

Carolina López e Iván Leontev

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Del 28 al 31 de octubre de 2007, y no sin pocos problemas con

la Embajada antes, los Verdes en el Parlamento Europeo por fin están celebrando su conferencia en Moscú. En el programa hay un poco de todo: derechos humanos, libertad de prensa y, por supuesto, cambio climático.

La sesión del lunes comienza a las diez con la presencia de Grigory Yavlinsky, líder del partido liberal Yabloko. El tema de la conferencia, la política multilateral Rusia-Europa, y los temas estrella, como no podía ser de otra forma, Kosovo e Irán.

ТАКИЕ РАЗНЫЕ ГРАДОНАЧАЛЬНИКИ

Прочитав сегодня в «Коммерсанте» искрометную статью Т. Бордюга «Правила игры», смеяться мне совсем не захотелось.

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Велосипед, как средство общественного транспорта… именно ОБЩЕСТВЕННОГО транспорта, – это достаточно новая концепция, набирающая стремительную популярность в европейских странах. Пионерам была северная и холодная страна Норвегия (ещё раз повод задуматься о том, что и суровый климат не беда, если все продумать с умом). Сегодня же общественные велосипеды можно найти в таких городах как Копенгаген, Париж, Барселона и др.