Heatwaves and excessive rainfall are proof that climate change is no longer a possibility, but a reality
Temperatures above 40º C in the middle of spring, excessive rainfall causing floods, severe cold in winter. Global warming is no longer a theory but a reality. Climate change clearly shows this.
UN reports show that the increase in global temperature must not exceed 1.5º C to avoid worse climate impacts and guarantee a habitable climate. However, according to the current scenario, the average global temperature is expected to rise by 3.2°C by the end of the century. It may not sound like much, but it’s enough to cause environmental imbalance and further intensify climate change.
– More frequent and intense extreme weather conditions, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall;
– rapid melting of glaciers and ice sheets, contributing to rising sea levels;
– huge declines in Arctic sea ice;
– warming of the ocean;
– changes in people’s lives, such as an increase in hunger and the number of deaths.
What causes climate change?
Scientists and experts explain that climate change is caused by the emission of polluting gases into the atmosphere. These substances are released in all parts of the world and affect everyone, but some countries produce much more than others.
To give you an idea, the 10 most polluting countries are responsible for 68 per cent of emissions, while the 100 least polluting countries generate 3 per cent of the gases emitted. As it’s a problem that affects everyone, each of us must take action, but those who have more responsibility for the problem need to do more.
In an attempt to create global policies to reduce global warming, the leaders of various countries met at COP 28 – the 28th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference. The event took place between the end of November and the first half of December in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
During the event, a research was presented showing the role of children and young people in trying to reverse climate change. The study showed that 85 per cent of young people aged between 15 and 24 from, 55 countries said they had heard of climate change, but only 50 per cent of them chose the correct definition according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) when asked to select between “seasonal changes in climate that occur every year” and “more extreme weather events and an increase in global average temperatures resulting from human activity”.
Unicef’s executive director, Catherine Russell, called young people “some of the greatest heroes in driving action to tackle the impact of climate change”. This is because the issue comes up in protests and meetings. She also emphasized the importance of making the next generations understand the global crisis.
This is why environmental education is becoming increasingly important. Knowing this, the Ramacrisna Institute deals with the issue across the board in all its programmes, projects and proposals. In other words, the topic is continually addressed to children, young people and adults, who multiply these values with their families and communities. This combines our commitment as an institution with the environmental education of thousands of people.
The Ramacrisna Institute strives for continuous improvement in the environmental field. To this end, it invests in the expansion of energy efficiency actions, the generation of clean and renewable energy, the collection and treatment of effluent waste, the preservation of savannah forests and the correct disposal of waste.
The Institute’s headquarters, located in Betim, is home to an Ecotrail in the middle of a 4-hectare area of preserved cerrado forest – an ecological trail, with a route that lasts around 15 minutes and allows visitors to enjoy the landscape and biodiversity. The trail is open to the public and can be visited free of charge any day of the week.
Another action is the correct disposal of waste. Food waste, grass cuttings and collected foliage go into compost. The fertiliser from this material is used in the gardens at the headquarters.
Meanwhile, other waste, such as the oil used in the canvas factory and the mechanics school, is collected by a partner organisation, which disposes of the material correctly. Electronic equipment parts are used to restore machines such as computers, and scrap metal is sent for proper recycling by a specialised company.
There is no sewage treatment system in the region. That’s why Ramacrisna treats all its effluent using biodigesters. The institute plans to reuse water and collect rainwater, investing more and more in caring for the environment and guaranteeing quality of life for generations to come.
All of these actions are directly reflected in the educational work carried out by the Institute, which over its more than six decades of history has transformed the lives of around two million socially vulnerable people living in 12 cities in Greater Belo Horizonte.
