By Graziella Albuquerque, for NINJa Collaborative Coverage of COP26 

Greenhouse gases are gaseous substances naturally present in the atmosphere which absorb part of the infrared radiation and render difficult its escape to the atmosphere, preventing the occurrence of a too high heat loss, and thus keep the Earth warm.

This process is known as greenhouse effect. The main gases which cause such effect present in the atmosphere are carbonic gas (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), ozone (O3), chlorofluorcarbides (CFCs) and steam.

The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon which allows the existence of life on Earth. Without it, the heat would dissipate causing such a cooling that would render the planet uninhabitable. But the problem is that these effects has been intensified due to human actions.

This Monday (October 25), the World Meteorological Society (WMS) sent a scientific message to the negotiators who are going to represent around 200 countries at the UN Conference on Climate (COP26), which will start on Sunday (October 31st). In the message, WMS warned that the concentration of gases that increase the greenhouse effect reached a record in 2020. Even with the world interrupting activities due to the pandemic, the presence of CO2, methane, nitrous oxide in the atmosphere increased last year.

Such increase is mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels by industries and vehicles, burning of forest and farming activities.

There are several worrisome consequences, being able to cause the submersion of coastal cities, forced migration of people, melting of polar caps, extreme temperatures, increase of natural disasters such as hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, more frequent draughts, desertification of green areas, problems with food production and loss of biodiversity, which on its turn may cause the extinction of many species.

Among the priority actions to fight the effects caused by the climate crisis are fighting deforestation and forest fires. Forestation is to be intensified, for forest have an essential role in CO2 absorption.

Other solutions are the gradual reduction or elimination of tax incentives and subsidies for the sectors that have huge emissions of greenhouse gases, interrupt burning of fossil fuels, promote a reform in the energy sector and stimulate sustainable forms of farming, such as agroforest for instance.

Among all necessary actions, the most important is popular participation in public policies, for it is of utmost importance have massive engagement in the fight to halt the climate crisis, mainly demanding from heads of State, behaviors aligned with sustainable development. 

We cannot have the system working degrading the land, were privatization of profits remains in the hands of a few, and the socialization of losses, in the lives of many, mainly the vulnerable ones.

This is a global fight; we all will suffer the consequences if no actions are taken. 

 @MidiaNinja and @CasaNinjaAmazonia are carrying out the special coverage of COP26. Follow tag #ninjanacop in the networks!

Tradução: Bianca Guzzo