window._taboola = window._taboola || []; var taboola_id = 'mycodeimpremedia-network'; _taboola.push({article:'auto'}); !function (e, f, u, i) { if (!document.getElementById(i)){ e.async = 1; e.src = u; e.id = i; f.parentNode.insertBefore(e, f); } }(document.createElement('script'), document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0], '//cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/'+ taboola_id +'/loader.js', 'tb_loader_script'); if(window.performance && typeof window.performance.mark == 'function') {window.performance.mark('tbl_ic');}

Pollutants must be reduced

The UN’s call for a climate change summit is best summarized in the words of its secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon. “Greenhouse gas emissions are at record levels and the effects of climate change are already widespread, costly and consequential.”

This is a global problem that goes beyond borders and demands everyone’s cooperation. Therefore, representatives of 125 countries are meeting at the UN today to work on reaching a solid agreement by 2015, one that has “legal force” and binds all the countries to reduce emissions of polluting gases.

Climate change is being felt throughout the planet, in addition to the melting of polar ice caps, with serious short-, medium- and long- term repercussions.

This problem goes way beyond the oversimplification of whether it is hotter or colder at a certain time or whether the change is due to the planet’s natural transformations, like critics claim. What is known for a fact is that human activity has an environmental impact and that carbon dioxide emissions create the greenhouse effect, which by not letting gases escape, leads to temperature increases.

The challenge is for all nations to agree on a strategy. So far, the differences between developed and developing countries, between wealthy and poor countries, have not been overcome. For example, there are countries like China (the world’s largest source of gas emissions) and India, who resent that the most industrialized nations are the ones calling for cutting emissions, preventing their economic growth. Both countries sent lower-level delegations to the UN, which is not a good sign.

The private sector also plays a major role in the goal of controlling emissions. Multinationals, like for example oil companies, are expected to commit to reducing pollution. Likewise, some investment funds are considering pulling out of the fossil fuel industry.

The path toward a global agreement is not simple. It demands recognizing the seriousness of the problem and developing strategies that acknowledge differences, but are targeted at stopping the greenhouse effect. Caring for the planet, and its people, is the big challenge for this generation

En esta nota

China India greenhouseeffect
Contenido Patrocinado