Madrid, 17 March, teachers and researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) warned that the current geopolitical instability is preventing progress on a carbon-neutral footprint, since some countries will supply energy sources such as natural gas, and other gases with high emission burdens should be used. The group participated in an international symposium on the future of energy organized by the Ramón Areces Foundation and MIT in Madrid this morning, explaining that although it is clear that abandoning the use of coal is a challenge, there is no magic formula for technology.When that time comes. Herzog, a research engineer at MIT, cited as an example the situation in Germany as one of the references of decarbonization policies in recent years, but showed up to 55% dependence on Russian gas supplies affected by the war in Ukraine. Therefore, the deputy director of the Scientific Research Program of the American Education Center Sergey Paltsev will have to use coal in the coming months, as in other countries in the region that will increase greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere in the short term. In an interview with the EFE agency, both agreed that, firstly, politicians should make decisions based on science, and secondly, people should be more involved in issues that they consider extremely urgent. “Again, politics sometimes does not help on these paths or favors people's understanding. When we talk about capturing CO2 emissions, there are groups that disagree, as with anti-nuclear emissions. People want renewable energy, but they don't want windmills in their villages.” Faced with this situation, his colleague Paltsev said that technology develops very rapidly and its application in the market is not limited to the peculiarities of each country, the economic situation or, once again, political stability. In his experience, “solutions for China may not work in Spain, or the routes of decarbonization in Brazil may differ from those in Australia.” But whether hydroelectric power works as the main source, or the capture of carbon dioxide gas is implemented, or the chosen option will be electricity. “No matter how you split your account, you always need to invest. Unfortunately, you will learn in the worst way. The current geopolitics are forcing politicians to realize that we need to do it faster.” The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) pointed out in one of its latest reports that much of the damage caused to terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems is already irreversible, and some are underestimated. Therefore, while MIT experts “prefer not to predict”, they are committed to investing in disruptive technologies for gas extraction, lowering renewable energy costs, and keeping nuclear power production safe.Top jumping/cc (Photo)
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