Reply to Mikel Otero
- It’s been two weeks since we once again showed macro-projects a clear opposition in the streets. Thousands and thousands of people took to the streets to proclaim that this destructive dynamic must end. Well, it seems that this has not had any effect on the politicians in favor of the destruction of the land. Mikel Otero, Member of Parliament of the European Parliament (EP), said on the social network X: “Renewable energy sources in the electricity generation: The Basque Country: 17% United Kingdom: 42% from Spain: 56% from Germany: 60% of Dynamarca: 81% from Austria: 87% of Sweden: 87% Noruega: “Is there a 100% croquis?”
First, we will consider the interested presentation of the data. On the one hand, it refers to countries with a very high potential for hydroelectric and offshore wind generation, and on the other hand, putting them on an equal footing, the Basque Country appears divided by presenting only data from the Basque Country. It is rare to present the issue of “renewables” as part of a party that truly considers itself independent. If we consider the Southern Basque Country as a whole, the percentage is 44.57% (REE data; we do not have data from the North), very close to the European average (according to Eurostat, it was 44.7% in 2023).
On the other hand, we will analyze where the need to produce electricity through “renewable” macros comes from. When considering the need to provide a massive installation of “renewable” energy sources, we distinguish three factors: Europe’s energy poverty, the rise of the military industry and digitisation. We cannot forget that there are some of the strongest capitalist countries in the world in Europe and we must understand these three factors in the context of geopolitical competition with other countries.
We must understand energy poverty as an important condition of the economic crisis in which we live, because European countries do not have a large capacity to generate energy autonomously and this limits the autonomous capacity of the bloc. Europe wants to regain direct control over energy resources, not because it is concerned about the climate emergency, but because it wants to be prepared for the escalation of war and tension between countries. Therefore, the rise of the military industry and the expansion of electric macroprojects today are two phenomena that go hand in hand. A developed military industry allows for control over resources and markets, undoubtedly one of the priorities of today’s major powers. Digitalization has become a central element of capitalist competition today, as we are seeing with the development of artificial intelligence (AI).
The phenomenon of digitalization implies a significant increase in the demand for electricity in itself and the electric macro-projects intend to respond to the energy demand of this industry to a large extent.
In this context we must be very clear that it is not possible to maximise the development of the military and AI industry and to carry out decarbonisation at the same time. It's just a speech. Therefore, those who are advancing the defense of “renewables” at the macro level in this context must be clear that they are defending the economic growth of Europe and the interests of its economic and political elites, questioning the well-being of the citizens along the way and trying to establish the conditions to increase the destruction of the land.
As a result, there is increasingly clear opposition to the parties that legitimize the destruction of the land. This is what we saw on March 22nd in the streets of Vitoria. There was a demonstration sponsored by more than 150 agents and thousands and thousands of people took to the streets with a clear message: "The Basque Country is not for sale! ".
With the rise of EH Bila in the institutions, it seemed that diaologues between institutions and popular movements would be given more frequently, that we could use the participatory process procedure for resolving complex issues. However, Otero’s position clearly shows that rather than opening up the debate frames, they close them, defending in a dogmatic and hierarchical way the political positions agreed in their offices and ignoring the voices of the citizens. The same is the position taken by EH Bila in two municipalities of Álava, which has taken the decision to impose wind power projects in Labraza and Arratzua-Úzudia.
It is clear that we need to find a way out of the ecological crisis (not just the climate crisis) and to do so we need to carry out fundamental political, economic and cultural transformations. The destructive process in which we live does not show the direction of this transformation, that is why from Euskal Herria Bizirik we will continue denouncing the farce of electric macroprojects and other capitalist infrastructures.
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