Dear friends and family,
The purpose of Global Day of Action is to unite all climate activists and groups around a common goal: to demand governments and corporations limit global temperatures to 1.5°C and deliver real and fair solutions to the climate crisis.
That is why governments, businesses, and civil society are meeting this week in Glasgow, UK (COP26), to commit to urgent global climate action. The goal of this conference is to (1) secure global zero by 2050, (2) adapt to protect communities and natural habitats, (3) mobilize finance for climate action, and (4) work on the framework to deliver. Sounds good, right?
Seven years ago, 191 parties agreed to the Paris Agreement. It was seen as a turning point for our climate, because all countries wanted to work towards the 1.5+C goal, i.e. drastically reducing their carbon emissions every year so that the world can move one step closer to limiting global warming. To document progress towards net-zero emissions and set future climate targets, each country had the homework to submit their second nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the Commission by July 2021 so that these could be discussed during the conference. To date, of the 191 parties, only 13 have submitted their second NDC, which contains the climate action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the policies and measures that each government intends to implement in response to global warming.
The question remains, how to reach net-zero emissions, if governments do not do their homework?
As if that weren't bad enough, a recent study by the UN Development Programme shows that the world spends a staggering $423 billion a year subsidizing fossil fuels for consumers -- oil, electricity generated by burning fossil fuels, gas, and coal. That's four times the amount, requested to help poor countries adapt to the harmful effects of the climate crisis.
As long as governments are investing in fossil fuels, we will continue to turn the planet into a horrible place to live and accept more frequent and more intense fires, floods, storms, hurricanes, droughts, and heatwaves.
It is high time to act -- a phrase that we have heard for decades. As early as 1965, humanity had been warned of the effects of fossil fuel emissions in the landmark report Restoring the Quality of Our Environment.
“The part that remains in the atmosphere may have a significant effect on climate; carbon dioxide is nearly transparent to visible light, but it is a strong absorber and back radiator of infrared radiation, particularly in the wavelengths from 12 to 18 microns; consequently, an increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide could act, much like the glass in a greenhouse, to raise the temperature of the lower air.”
We, at Tui’k Ruch’Lew, want to contribute to a future of prosperity. We have developed climate change mitigation strategies that (1) avoid greenhouse gas emissions from open fires and (2) increase carbon sinks by protecting native forests and soils that sequester carbon. We have also developed climate change adaptation strategies, which are helping Tz’utujil Maya communities to increase their resilience for the changes to come.
Help the planet and erase your carbon footprint today with us. It just takes 3 easy steps:
For more information, get in touch with us.
We wish you a wonderful day,
Jessica and the Tui’k Ruch’Lew team
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