The alarm in the Demopolis investigation. Beijing suffers the brunt of the surge in the cost of raw materials and the lack of energy to power power plants
ROME. Lights and shadows over Glasgow. On the one hand the sharing of objectives, on the other the differences in concrete strategies. China has increased its daily coal production by over one million tons due to energy shortages, as world leaders negotiate a deal at COP26 in Glasgow to save the planet from global warming. Beijing is suffering the brunt of the surge in the cost of raw materials, particularly coal, on which the Asian giant depends 60% to power its power plants. This situation pushes the plants to stop, despite the strong demand, leading to the rationing of electricity and increasing production costs for companies. To ease the pressure, the authorities have authorized the reopening of the coal mines in recent weeks. A move that contradicts Chinese President Xi Jinping’s promise to start reducing his country’s carbon emissions before 2030.
Lack of energy
Since mid-October, daily coal production has exceeded 11.5 million tons, the NDRC planning agency said on Sunday. This represents an increase in capacity of 1.1 million tons compared to the end of September. Last month, the NDRC did not rule out intervening to lower coal prices. The Chinese president is among the most absent in Glasgow in which he intervened with a written speech. His country is both the world’s largest coal producer and the largest polluter and it is also the country that invests the most in clean energy.
Emergency
While 100 countries pledge 16.5 billion to stop deforestation by 2030, China is trying to cope with the energy crisis by bringing daily coal production to 11.5 million tons. And it attacks the US: it is they who have undermined trust by failing to ratify the Kyoto protocol. Indian Prime Minister Modi announces: “India will reach carbon neutrality in 2070”. Prime Minister Mario Draghi warns: “There is concern about the level of emissions after the post-Covid reopening”.
Italy
Two out of 3 Italians say they are very or fairly worried about climate change and its impact on the environment; a quarter of the citizens do not seem to care. This was revealed by the investigation of the Demopolis Institute. As confirmed by the historical trend of Demopolis, the degree of environmental concern of Italians has grown by 24 points in the last 20 years: it was 42% in 2001 and now reaches 66%, with a very significant increase in attention in recent years. determined by news events but also, in part, by the so-called ‘Greta effect’. But what are the greatest concerns of Italians today in terms of the environment? Smog and air pollution are confirmed in first place, indicated by 60%. A growing concern, at 58%, is recorded regarding hydrogeological instability, also in consideration of the increasingly recurring floods and landslides that have hit our country. The absolute majority of citizens then cite bad waste disposal and landfill management; 45% report the pollution of the sea and rivers.
Distrust
In the days when COP-26 is launched, the survey analyzed the opinion of citizens on the commitment of world leaders in the fight against climate change: if 30% consider it adequate; the relative majority of Italians, 37%, consider it important but not sufficient. A third of citizens, on the other hand, believe that the effort that large countries have undertaken to make to contain global warming is inadequate. Finally, the Demopolis Institute asked the Italians what behaviors they would be willing to really change in their daily life in order not to aggravate climate change: 2 out of 3 show willingness to a more careful differentiation of waste for recycling, more than 6 out of 10 in do not buy disposable products. But, when it comes to established behaviors, there is greater resistance: just under a third would reduce the use of the car, just 20% would limit the use of air conditioning in the summer …
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