Kill the messenger. Under this premise, many experts have suffered harassment on social networks for pointing out the DANA tragedy as a manifestation of the climate emergency. One of the last to suffer insults and threats has been the biologist Fernando Valladaresdirector of Ecology and Global Change at the National Museum of Natural Sciences, dependent on the CSIC. After exposing himself to the media to explain the most scientific aspect of this humanitarian crisis, anonymous users launched all kinds of attacks against him, asking to hang his head and placing him on the lists of people to be eliminated.
In conversation with Publicthe expert describes the escalation of violence as an “emotional slide”, in which he differentiates four phases. “The first reactions were anxiety. After all, I am a relatively public figure. My image has even been used to announce talks or events. Then I was overcome with grief. because they tried to cut off the messenger’s head, all for saying that my salary was betting that before winter there would be another extreme weather event. I hope I’m wrong! I would like nothing more, but you point to the sky and they look at the finger“he laments.
In the third phase, uncertainty arrived: “I had doubts about whether I was expressing myself well, about whether perhaps I was not knowing how to communicate things,” but finally, messages of support arrived. “Many people showed their support and let me know that they had also suffered similar experiences. I’m not the only one who receives harassment“.
Fernando Valladares: “It is a problem that bad news cannot be given”
In fact, the expert highlights that women are the ones who suffer this type of threats most virulently. “There have been many fellow scientists, such as meteorologists, who have been called whores and have tried to attack in every way, so some They have closed their accounts on social networks and others have reduced their visibility“. In this context, Valladares declares: “It is a problem that bad news cannot be given.” Part of the cause, the expert considers, is that “in times of crisis, there are people who cannot psychologically tolerate this reality.”
What to do about climate deniers
“The objective is not to convince the deniers,” says the biologist. “There aren’t many, but they shout a lot,” he adds. His concern revolves around “the people that these voices can drag.” The vaccine he proposes is the promotion of “a critical look that reviews the sources: who says whatwhich is a very scientific attitude. For this reason it is also important to give sources, both in research and in journalism.”
From this second area, Valladares recalls a piece published in “Libre Mercado”, the economic section of Digital Freedom. “In that article, they make a whole series of statements about me based on what I have said in other media. The only thing they managed to get, in an attempt to discredit me, was a restoration course worth more than 700 euros. I in That training I gave a talk of about two hours and I took around 150 euros, which covered transportation and little else,” he details.
“Talking about climate change in front of deniers aligns you politically”
“Talking about climate change in front of deniers aligns you politically,” assesses the CSIC researcher. This has led to an accusation that has provoked this kind of campaign of harassment and demolition against him on social networks, but he refuses to block any account. “I am born not to block those who insult me. “I need to know that these people exist because otherwise I would be surrounded by sycophants and people who think like me.”
The expert tells, as an anecdote: “There is a person called Isabel – or at least she calls herself that on social networks – who usually tells me: ‘You’re an idiot,’ among other things. Then there are also others with whom I try to argue, but with those who limit themselves to insults and verbal violence, there is no way.
Climate denialism and far right
Asked about the relationship between the scientific blindness of those who reject the existence of an environmental emergency and far-rightism, Valladares identifies a common point: “The political program of freedom is incompatible with climate change, since this second fact implies that you cannot do whatever you want.”
The biologist has criticized the recent statements of Giorgia MeloniPrime Minister of Italy and president of the party Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia), linked to post-fascist movements. The president attended the COP29 this Wednesday, held in Baku, capital of Azerbaijanwhere he defended that “currently there is no single alternative to the supply of fossil fuels. We must have a realistic global vision.” Thus, he advocated the use of nuclear energy and assured that “it can change the rules of the game.”
“Meloni defends the same neoliberal model that caused this crisis”
“Meloni defends the same neoliberal model that caused this crisis,” highlights Valladares. “The right wants to live in a world of unlimited resources to maintain that lifestyle that, in reality, is unsustainable,” he insists.
Hopes decimated on the international scene
The CSIC researcher shows few expectations about the agreements that countries can reach at COP29, which will be held from this Monday and will conclude on Friday, November 22. “A disunited Europe appears and, with the absence of Brazil, a key state to mobilize the rest of Latin Americalet’s see who defends the reduction of emissions,” he says.
Remember that this summit is known as “the economic COP”, because the parties must agree on new financing objectives to combat the climate crisis. Some social movements have shown their concern about the amount, which the G77 – a group of developing countries led by China – has proposed that it be 1.3 trillion dollars (trillionsin Anglo-Saxon terms).
“At the COPs they entertain themselves with diplomatic details and do not address the big elephant in the room: oil”
“It smells like singeing to me when the emphasis is placed on the figure. The important thing is that it is paid; It is urgent to specify once and for all that it is paid“, stressed Valladares. The previous financing objective, set for the period from 2020 to 2025, was 100 billion dollars annually (100 billion), but 2023 was the only year in which this amount was reached.
“At COPs they mess around with diplomatic details and don’t address the big elephant in the room: oil and the subsidies it receives“, he points out. A situation that worsens with the return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States, one of the main producers of fossil fuels.
“Trump’s victory is a great communication failure. We have not known how to explain things or perhaps we have not known how to empathize,” considers the expert. He warns that his arrival at the Oval Office “represents a significant threat to health, the environment and people in general. Trump comes to accentuate an already existing problem“.
Will we come out better?
During the Covid-19 health crisis it was heard: “we will come out better”, already a famous aphorism that some repeat with the humanitarian emergency caused by DANA in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. “Yes, we have come out of the pandemic better, but not enough or for a long time.“explains the biologist.
Valladares predicts that “this improved version has an expiration date”, so, despite what we can learn from the tragedy in Valencia, Letur and other affected towns, “We will build again in flood-prone areas“. To avoid stumbling over the same stone again, the scientist emphasizes that “we need a better version of everyone and build a new society that reviews current deficiencies in a choral and profound way.”
“The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) played its role perfectly with DANA”
In this sense, he regrets that “We do not have politicians up to the task.“and advocates self-criticism of both the Valencian Government and the central administration. But the expert’s position is clear: “The reproaches of Carlos Mazón –president of the Valencian Country– are not sustained. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) played its role perfectly. At 7:31 in the morning it published the red alert, but the Government did not issue the warning until 13 hours later.”
According to Valladares, “the main cause of the dysfunction is the regional government.” So, “Mazón must resign deferred. Right now may not be the time, but I could do it in a month or six months; assume that he has made such a big mistake that he must leave,” he declares. However, “even if Mazón’s head falls, we will not have changed anything because the next one will continue to favor the private sector,” he laments.
“Saving people comes before saving the economy“, defends the scientist. For there to be a true paradigm shift, “we need a friendlier climate.” Furthermore, “difficult times are coming,” Valladares warns, “and in the face of difficult times, we must join forces,” he concludes.
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