By Ana Gabriela Briceño Aguilar - Student of the School of General Studies

Greenhouse gases are the main cause of global warming, they are emitted by the activities that produce fumes over the years. Currently, the world is made up of "195 countries, but only a few are responsible for launching about 75% of total greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere" (El Agora, 2019). The latest reports from the ONU, as well as private entities, agree that there are five major countries or regions emitting greenhouse gases. "These include China, which emits about 27% of total emissions; then, the United States emits 13% of global emissions, and the European Union with 7%" (El Agora, 2019). However, as these gases accumulate in the atmosphere, warming not only affects a specific country, but global warming is global; that is why the 195 countries need to share the goal of reducing emissions and achieving decarbonization.

Currently, there are 125 countries in the process of development. In other words, maybe in a few years, we will not have 20 developed countries, but more. Therefore, greenhouse gas production is going to be increasing. For this reason, all countries need to transform both high, medium, and low economic levels, and develop and implement policies, practices, and laws that drive and improve the protection of the planet and reduce global warming. However, the countries that produce more emissions do not have environmental protection as one of their priorities. For example, the United States is one of the few countries that did not accept the Paris agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which aims to level emissions by 2020, and stop them by 2050.

Moreover, if we are to reduce pollution, it cannot be achieved by the effort of a single country: it must be a united effort. "Scientists say the Arctic is warming at a rate that is twice the rest of the planet. For example, the temperature rises faster at the poles compared to the rest of the planet. "An extreme heat wave affects the Arctic with a possible record temperature of up to 38 degrees Celsius and voracious fires" (ONU, 2020). This allows us to conclude that what we do in our country affects others and the rest of the world, and what happens in a country affects everything. For this reason, it is time to react and realize that we are destroying our only home.

It's time to open our eyes and realize that we only have one house and one planet. The one we consider infinite and indestructible and the truth are another. With each passing day, the planet collapses, the flora and fauna become extinct and it becomes more difficult and dangerous to inhabit it. According to the ONU, "150 species are extinct per day" (UN, 2019). Today we live in such a polluted environment, because of all our consumerism, materialistic and unaware activities. Unfortunately, we forget that we need nature to survive. Since it is the support of life, this environment is the one that conditions us for existence, and we have forgotten it. It is important to remember that we do not own the land, we are simply some more guests and we must show respect.

 

MOXIE es el Canal de ULACIT (www.ulacit.ac.cr), producido por y para los estudiantes universitarios, en alianza con el medio periodístico independiente Delfino.cr, con el propósito de brindarles un espacio para generar y difundir sus ideas.  Se llama Moxie - que en inglés urbano significa tener la capacidad de enfrentar las dificultades con inteligencia, audacia y valentía - en honor a nuestros alumnos, cuyo “moxie” los caracteriza.

References:
  • El Agora. (2019). The main greenhouse gas emitting countries. Retrieved from https://www.elagoradiario.com/agorapedia/paises-emisores-gases-de-efectoinvernadero/
  • ONU. (2020). An extreme heatwave affects the Arctic with a possible record temperature of up to 38 °C and voracious fires. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/es/story/2020/06/1476382
  • UN. (2019). ONU warns of the extinction of 150 animal species per day. The Confidential. Retrieved from https://www.elconfidencial.com/multimedia/video/virales/2019-11-26/onualerta-150-especies-peligro-extincion-animales_2351348/