Turkey’s national booze under government siege

Despite its status as a national drink, raki is becoming increasingly out of reach for the ordinary Turk. The ruling Justice and Development Party, which promotes piety and a conservative way of life, has actively sought to discourage alcohol consumption, raining down taxes on booze, especially raki.

True to form, the government raised liquor taxes at the beginning of the year, but this time went a step further, introducing a new regulation to trammel the home brewing of raki, which has flourished over the past several years in response to the soaring prices. From 2003 to 2016, overall consumer prices in Turkey increased 181%, while the price of raki shot up 500%.

In 2016, formal raki sales in Turkey fell to 35.4 million liters per year, down from 48.8 million liters in 2011, which was a record year. No doubt, the decrease did not mean that Turks had suddenly decided to abstain. Formal sales were down because of the flurry of price hikes, but home brewing was booming. Retired people, in particular, have taken on the endeavor as a hobby, with aspirants exchanging know-how and experience on the internet. The home production of wine and beer has also proliferated, driven by a similar spike in market prices.

It should come as no surprise if the raki interventions intensify in the coming period. The home brewing of wine, beer and other fermented spirits is legally allowed, subject to a 350-liter limit per year, but the individual production of distilled spirits such as raki, whiskey and vodka remains illicit. Home brewers of raki risk fines and even prison sentences, yet with a critical election cycle looming next year, Ankara — for now — refrains from brandishing the threat of penalties.

[ > Al-Monitor — January 2018 ]

Norway wants to kill most of its wolves – again

CO2 OUT OF SIGHT, NOT OUT OF MIND: PERCEPTION OF CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE RISKS

As the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere peaked in 2016, limiting the global temperature increase to only 2 degrees might become unattainable. Although the energy transition is well under way, phasing out fossil fuels might take many decades due to the growing energy demand worldwide. The good news is, there might be a surprising solution which lies where the fossil fuels come from – deep underground. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology can deliver 12% of the cumulative reduction of emissions required by 2050.

This technology allows to do exactly what the name says: capture, transport (if required) and securely store CO2, usually several kilometers underground, at a suitable location chosen by geologists. The gas is then pumped into a reservoir with an impenetrable cap rock – often the same reservoir that was keeping the oil and gas in place for millions of years.

Like any technology, it comes with risks, the main one being a CO2 leakage. An abrupt leakage might be dangerous for the local community, because high concentrations of CO2 pose health risks. Research shows that the probability of such an event is extremely small and it is very unlikely to cause harm to people or local flora and fauna. Nonetheless, the technology is still perceived as unacceptably risky by many, which might stem from the behavioral biases we possess.

CCS does not claim to be the ultimate solution that would stop climate change once and for all, but it seems to be the necessary stepping stone to a net zero emission world.

[ > The Decision Lab — January 2018 ]