End to the fossil. « We are the last generation that can stop climate chaos »
They march, occupy schools and large companies, throw ink to politicians and works of art scattered around the world. Some consider their actions « violent » and « too radical ». However, they argue that “violence is something else,” that we have to stop using fossil energies by 2030 and that only in this way can they hear themselves.
The special report on the impacts of 1.5ºC global warming prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an organization of the UN that analyzes thousands of scientific work, warns that the world needs to reach Zero CO2 emissions from CO2 to 2050 to have 66% likely to remain below catastrophic heating limit of 1.5ºC. « But if this happens there is still a probability of 1 in 3 to reach the collapse of land systems. The goal of zero emissions by 2050 is too scary, regardless of other political and economic considerations. It is necessary to achieve carbonic neutrality before, » warns the climate strike, the collective of students who fights climate justice, based on Lisbon, which has existed since 2019 and has been part of the international movement in international movement For Future, and the End Fossil International Campaign (end to the fossil).
It is recalled that fossil fuels are carbon-formed substances used to feed combustion processes. These are those that originate from remains of plants and animals decomposed for millions of years and sediments in the deepest land layers, such as coal, natural gas and oil, widely used in the auto industry and the production of elements of our daily lives, such as plastics, lubricating oils, tissues, treats, among others.
Near the collapse? According to Matilde Ventura, 20, a spokesman for the collective and also a member of the Faculty of Letters of the University of Lisbon (FLUL), there is a common understanding among the people who are organized at the end to the fossil that is: “This is really any responsibility, there is no one who will save us. Governments are failing and we are the agents of change, the last generation that can wrap the climate according to science. « There is indeed collapse and irreversible land functioning mechanisms. Above these degrees of temperature increase, above pre-industrial levels, there are certain mechanisms of the earth that collapse and its collapse generates so many emissions that can already lead to the collapse of other ecosystems, » he explains, adding that « there are thousands of mechanisms like this. » « It’s a snowball. »
André, 23, is a student of the Master of Contemporary History at FCSH. « We are not putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and then taking them off, » explains this member of the climate strike. “The planet is alive and dynamic. From a certain temperature limit, ecosystems begin to collapse and the planet begins to warm up alone. For example, it is too hot and dry for forests to propagate and stay. Then they start burning alone,” he exemplifies. « I’m from Montemor-o-New, I have grandparents in Ribatejo, I see things to dry, every now and then I need to let an area die because there is no water. It’s a slow agony, » he admits.
Government Failure But several of the most developed countries and the fossil fuel industry have other plans. Already in 2023 we learned that governments around the world planned to produce more than twice the maximum amount of fossil fuels by 2030, a limit that allowed to maintain global warming below 1.5 degrees. « Government’s plans to expand fossil fuels production are impairing the energy transition needed to reach zero greenhouse gases, in doubt the future of humanity, » said United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) executive director.
The study -produced in partnership with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the non -governmental organization Climate Analytics and the European E3G reflection group -compared the production of coal, oil and gas planned by governments with the levels established in the Paris Agreement (signed in 2015 and aims to combat global warming) to comply with the increasing effects of the climate crisis even more devastating effects.
Plans of 20 governments analyzed in the report involve the production of about 110% more fossil fuels up to 2030 than necessary to avoid warming of 1.5 degrees and 69% more than a 2 degree increase. The countries analyzed include some of the world’s largest fossil fuel producers, including Australia, Brazil, USA, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China, Nigeria, South Africa, Colombia and Mexico.
« Most of these governments continue to give significant financial and legislative support to the production of fossil fuels, » said the UNEP. Although 17 governments were committed to reaching null liquid emissions and many have launched initiatives to reduce them, « none of them have committed to reducing the production of coal, oil and gas to meet climate goals, » he said.
Therefore, Matilde feels that young activists and experts have not been heard. “Last year we have added a point in our narrative: 100% renewable and accessible electricity for all people by 2025. It is something that takes three months to install. Electrifying the distribution network takes three months. It could be done during the summer, for example. That is, technically, it is possible to make this change. When we look at these things that are much simpler, we realize it. Of the lives and welfare of people! ”He stresses. « In 2019 -when the collective was created -we were very dear. We started with Greta, we said that there is no planet B, that was a very interesting accessory for our governments. From the moment we started to appear more upset, because they have passed six years and they did absolutely nothing, it is uncomfortable, » he says, referring to the forms of protest that adopted in recent years. The young woman considers the (activist) convictions show that these protests “are being consequent”. « If a system has so much need to protect itself, it is because we are touching the wound. Fighting for the climate has been seen as a crime, » he believes.
FUTURE CHALLENGES But can humanity live without fossil fuels? Chris Stark, head of the UK climate change committee, is optimistic. Three years ago, the expert shared with the BBC to distance ourselves from fossil fuels will be « electrifying virtually everything », and electrical devices « tend to be more efficient than those that work with fossil fuels. » « Think of the heat that comes out of your car’s hood. This is a waste of energy. This is not the case with an electric vehicle, » he explained. « Another example is: For each energy unit used in a gas boiler, a heat unit is obtained. However, in an electric heat pump it gets three, » he continued.
Stark also states that « changing the electrical solution reduces energy demand, making the mountain of energy smaller. » « Renewable electricity has become cheaper than fossil fuels, causing the transition to save money, » he added. The British argued that the transition can be performed without major state subsidies. However, renewable energies bring great initial costs when solar panels or wind turbines are installed.
To the BDF, André Ferreira, executive director of the Institute of Energy and Environment (Iema), clarified that the big challenge in all this is “the use of renewable energy in the transportation sector and industry”. « Apparently, fossil energy consumption to generate electricity is in a good way. Possibly, the electricity sector will be the first to end the use of fossil fuels, » he believes. “The biggest challenge is long -range cargo transportation, in replacing diesel oil (on trucks, with another type of fuel),” he says.
To the Brazilian publication, the expert said that the difficulty of finding a substitute energy source extends to the production of cement, steel and petroleum derivatives, such as plastic. « These are sectors that need their emissions compensated in some way. Even in 2050, in a Net Zero scenario -an ideal state where emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) released into the atmosphere are balanced by removed emissions -there will be some fossil fuel, » he elucidated.
