Brexit

Yesterday, UK citizens voted to leave the European Union : a huge mistake for the UK and a problem for the entire trajectory of construction of Europe.

Prime minister Cameron has the historic responsibility of holding an unnecessary referendum and of not having been able to communicate the reasons to stay in Europe.

The UK comes out divided from this referendum both geographically (the majority of Scotland and Northern Ireland and London voted to stay and the majority of England and Wales to leave) and in terms of age groups (the majority of youths voted to stay against most of the older generations and elderly who voted to leave).

Today all the European stock markets have suffered strong losses and the British pound fell by 10%. However, I feel that the stock market falls are emotional reactions that will recover in the short term in most European countries including Italy.

Instead, I believe that for the UK, this marks the beginning of a long period of economic decline and loss of relevance in the global landscape: simply because the UK (supposing that is stays united and does not see the secession of Scotland and Northern Ireland)
is a macroeconomic system that is too small to have any political weight or to compete economically in the current global scenario. 

The real risk for Europe would be a phenomenon of emulation by other countries who could be dragged towards political and economic suicide by populist leaders through similar irresponsible referendums.

I'm convinced this won't happen due to three fundamental reasons:

1. In a few quarters, and maximum one year, the economic damage suffered by the UK will be evident and this will discourage any country from following suit.
2. This referendum will be a stimulus to accelerate the process of European integration, at least for key countries such as Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, even if this will signify the rise of two groups in Europe with two different speeds of integration.
3. The British result will push Europe towards a political agenda that will better marry "growth and rigor" and give birth to a great program of European breadth. 

The two main priorities must be, I believe, youth unemployment and control of immigration flux.

Finally, it would help if national governments and populists stop denying their political responsibilities and putting blame on Europe (see my post of March 22 2015 on this subject).

I'm convinced that Europe will overcome this difficulty created by the exit of the UK, and will continue its process of integration and its role model of Peace and of Civilization in the world.

Let's Kill fossil fuels

As I have stated many times, I believe the three major challenges of humanity are the following:

1. Excessive inequality of the distribution of wealth;
2. Excessive growth of world population;
3. The huge problems associated with fossil fuels (pollution, extreme weather phenomena,
  global warming, geopolitical instability, financing of Islamic fundamentalism...).

To the above challenges, in the last few decades (since the fall of the Berlin wall), 3 more challenges have emerged:

4. Islamic Fundamentalism (that has today ISIS as its major driver);
5. Chinese nationalism;
6. The “apathy” of the western world (meaning the loss of traditional values in favor of
  short term profit).

Humanity must win those challenges, and millions of individuals like us, as members of the most educated part of human society, MUST CONTRIBUTE TO AND MUST BE THE DRIVERS of this progress.

At least in one of these challenges we are winning: "Humanity"  has made in the last 10 years unbelievable progress towards winning point 3.  Energy generated by Wind, Solar PV, Solar thermal, and Geothermal, are all very competitive today with fossil fuels, if we charged fossil fuels with a "Carbon tax " of some 100 $ per ton of CO₂ generated by them, to compensate for the collateral damages associated with them.

We have today all the technologies needed to terminate the fossil fuels era in favor of renewable sources of energy. In only 20 years we can kill fossil fuels, particularly oil, and in the process also kill ISIS and all the financial sources that support Islamic Fundamentalism.

By winning point 3 we will be a long way ahead to winning also point 4.

In fact, I believe that ISIS is being already weakened much more by the LOW price of OIL
than by the bombing by the US, UK, France and Russia.

           NO OIL   =    NO ISIS
           NO ISIS  =     NO VIOLENT DRIVER OF ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM

Let's work towards a world free of fossil fuels and thereby contribute to a better world.

Another "energy revolution" has been ignited by Tesla with the introduction of a competitive electric car and the progress towards cheap batteries, as well as the no-driver car launched by Google, all of which are going to dramatically accelerate the end of oil in favor of electric transportation, fueled by electric energy generated by renewables.

Let's all work to kill fossil fuels, as a major step towards a better world.

How can we contribute as individuals?

Here are few ideas:

• apply systematically to our everyday lives the rule of the 3 Rs: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE and cut the food waste that we, affluent society, generate every day; recycle everything you can (for example a ton of recycled aluminum uses 90% less energy than primary aluminum);
• minimize the use of private car transportation: use public transportation, bicycles, motorcycles, or walk;
• if you need to use a car, try to opt for a Plug-in Hybrid or full electric car;
• drastically reduce consumption of meat and fish: this will be good for your health and good for the planet. If you can, try to become vegetarian, or "near” vegetarian;
• "insulate" your house to cut energy consumption: an insulated "class A" house consumes one third of the energy per square meter of covered space of a non-insulated habitat;
• put photovoltaic solar panels on all available surface areas (on the roof of your house, on car park roofs, on a "photovoltaic " green houses...). Use also thermal solar panels for water and home heating.
• educate your family, friends and community to speed up the decarbonization of the economy.

The lobbies of traditional energy companies are slowing down the process of transition to a world with very low or no fossil fuels consumption.

We, millions of citizens, can win the lobbies with our daily commitment in our individual lives and in our interactions with the institutions that we elect.