JORGE RODRIGUES SIMAO

What is "Carbon Neutrality"?

Climate Neutrality

“Climate science requires global warming to be limited to 2 °C, or even less if possible, relative to the pre-industrial era, as reported both in the latest IPCC climate report of the United Nations and in other studies. The reports confirm to us once again that the increased greenhouse effect is man-made and is about 75 % due to the unchecked burning of fossil fuels. The goal can only be achieved with rapid and radical measures in the field of energy conversion and use, which will have economic consequences that encounter political resistance.”

Global Energy Demand and 2-degree Target, Report 2014

Valentin Crastan

As mudanças climáticas não são um fenómeno de moda, mas algo real, palpável e destruidor que tem vindo a moldar em sentido negativo a face do planeta, deteriorando as condições de vida dos ecossistemas, incluindo o humano. O ser humano é não só o maior sofredor, mas também o mais perigoso predador do meio ambiente, pelo que a sua actividade é uma das causas maiores das mudanças climáticas.

We all have to deal with them on a daily basis: weird and difficult people. At times of frustration and disappointment with these characters, a friend of mine mutters, "Human beings, what a stupid concept!" Mark Twain must have felt the same when he wrote, "If man had created man he would be ashamed of his performance." Like my friend, you probably sometimes wish that other human beings especially those with whom you live and work - were as logical, trustworthy, intelligent, kind, hard-working, fun-loving, and practical as you.

Given the choice between pursuing a dream career and continuing a life of grindstone existence, most people opt for the grindstone existence. They tolerate abusive bosses, lousy working conditions, and boring, dead-end jobs simply because finding a better job takes time and energy. Moreover, pursuing a career dream requires change and risk-taking. Most people find it easier to stay with the familiar, even if the familiar offers extreme boredom and drudgery. If you aren't pursuing your career dreams today, you are setting yourself up for much disappointment and many regrets later in life.

Hay un tiempo cuando los padres quedan huérfanos de sus hijos. Es que los niños crecen independientes de nosotros, como árboles murmurantes y pájaros imprudentes. Crecen sin pedir permiso a la vida. Crecen con una estridencia alegre y, a veces, con alardeada arrogancia.Pero no crecen todos los días, de igual manera, crecen de repente. Un día se sientan cerca de ti en la terraza y te dicen una frase con tal naturalidad que sientes que no puedes más ponerle pañales. ¿Dónde quedaron la placita de jugar en la arena, las fiestitas de cumpleaños con payasos  y los juguetes preferidos?