News

Bianca Jagger meets the press: All newspapers have published her speech at the opening of the European Energy Forum at Bilbao Exhibition Centre, where she was accompanied by the Lehendakari, or Basque PM, Patxi Lopez. She is not interested in the impact of her speech and prefers to improve her vocabulary when talking about renewable energy or climate change in Spanish. She does not allow questions of a personal nature (she was the wife of singer Mick Jagger until 1979) and told eitb.com reporter Iker Gomez that she was not here only to give interviews about the importance of renewable energy but was also to "discover" Bilbao.

You have already spent a couple of days in Bilbao. Can you make a small quick analysis of renewable energy use in the Basque Country?

I''m really impressed by the investment made in renewable energies, not only in the Autonomous Basque Community but in Spain. I''ve just been reading an article on Iberdrola''s planned investment of 2,500 million Euros in renewed energy. According to the article, it will generate 10,000 megawatts of power, which is equivalent to what can be produced by ten nuclear power stations and can create enough energy to provide electricity to 20 million people!

What were the main issues during your opening speech at BEC''s European Energy Forum?

I emphasised the need for leaving the plug culture in favour of renewable energy, and the importance of rejecting the arguments against renewable energy. I mean, it is said it is very expensive and that it does not have enough capacity, and that is not true. In fact, we should highlight its success and the number of jobs it&' || 'nbsp; has generated. In Germany, 280,000 posts have been created and in Spain approximately 100,000.

Your stance against nuclear energy is well-known. Controversy regarding the Garoña (Burgos, Spain) nuclear power plant is headlining the news these days. What would you say to those responsible for deciding the closure - or prolonging the life - of this infrastructure?

I would tell them that nuclear power is dangerous and not renewable. As we try to say, it can''t reduce CO2 emissions, so it can''t be the solution to global warming. Nuclear power is not a substitute for sustainable energy and its price, the cost, is extremely high. In fact, nuclear power has always depended on massive subsidies from governments. Furthermore, we''re going to run out of uranium in five decades, and, in addition to being expensive, it represents a serious risk to health. In short, nuclear power represents a debt for future generations. The money that is invested in nuclear power is money that could be used for renewable energy, and delays its revolution, which is what we need today.

What are the consequences of climate change for the planet?

Recently, the Global Humanitarian Forum made it clear that climate change causes 300,000 deaths a year, and that in 2030, it will cause 500,000 deaths annually. It also recalled the impact that global warming already has on 125 million people, as well as the impact it will have on a further 660 million people - 20% of world population - within 20 years.

You fight against climate change but also defend human and children''s rights...

Climate change will especially affect developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Moreover, the poles are melting, which will have a big impact on places like Bangladesh and other developing countries. There, children and destitute women will be the most affected. However, the climate change disaster will affect children all over the world. We cannot see the planet as if it were cut into two (north and south), because climate change will also have a great impact on developed countries. It is not just an environmental issue because it influences all aspects of our lives: health, economy ... we can''t think of it as something isolated because it affects our lives. We can''t separate climate change from human rights.

Do you think the economic and financial crisis could make people set aside the issues related to climate change in their list of priorities?

We have no choice! This is a matter of life and death. Scientists estimate that we have 10 or 12 years to reach a point of no return. If we do not care about ourselves, let''s do it for our children or grandchildren. It is an obligation, it is something we can''t avoid. It brings me great sadness that we are the only species of the world that will allow their own destruction without making any effort to stop the catastrophe.

Do people sense the seriousness of the possible effects of climate change on their lives?

I think there''s not enough information in the media in order for people to understand the threat that is global warming. I would say that we have not been able to explain to citizens how they can contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions, when in fact all of us has an important role in reducing them. It is possible to change the plug culture in favour of renewable energy. I would also ask citizens not be fooled by those who would have them believe that nowadays nuclear energy is different to what it was years ago.

What measures would you recommend to the average citizen to use energy more efficiently in their homes?

So much can be done to invest in renewable energy within households. Recycling, using public transport and environmentally friendly cars, remembering to turn off electrical equipment at home ... a lot can be done in that way. For example, if an entire city, people in their own homes, lowered their heating temperature by just one centigrade, the result would be extraordinary.