Màrius Carol, 3 March 2023
Image : Xavier Cervera
The pact between socialists and republicans to set in motion the expansion of the airport, the link between Sabadell and Terrassa on the B-40 and the construction of a leisure complex in Tarragona is a gamble on the future. Certainly, the Republicans have committed themselves by dragging their feet and without much desire, to the point that JxCat is trying to tie up the Government so that it does not delay or dilute these projects. Opposition in the House is testimonial. Only the CUP is opposed. In fact, it opposes everything, even singing havaneres. Even the Common Party, choked by so much ideology, is also a bit of a nuisance.
On Saturday a number of entities will demonstrate against investments in infrastructures. They are also, by the way, against the wind farm in Roses because it affects the seascape. The rally is called under the slogan “Defensar la terra, construir el futur” (Defend the land, build the future). It is interesting to note the caution of the slogan’s author, because he does not make it clear that this world is going to be better.
Changing the future cannot mean putting sticks in the wheels of everything in the name of defending the land.
Any investment in infrastructure must be required to generate wealth for the country and to respect the environment. But infrastructures are essential for growth and for the sustainability of the welfare society. The deconstruction of the future is another matter. But what we have ahead of us is at the antipodes of avant-garde cuisine. There are few inventions to be made: how can we tackle youth unemployment, the payment of pensions, quality healthcare, first class education or the construction of more social housing if we do not grow?
Degrowth will get us nowhere. And to grow we need energy, and Catalonia is at the bottom of the list in terms of renewable energy generation. But no one seems to want them around, even if we like the lights to come on when we get home.
This permanent debate against intervention in the territory is exhausting, it baffles politicians and impoverishes us as a reality. I understand that we live in a world where harmony and coherence do not fit easily. But it makes no sense to block every initiative for the sake of defending the land. Immaturity is a bad GPS, which will only get us lost along the way.
https://www.lavanguardia.com/opinion/20230303/8796185/deconstruir-pais.html
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