Image by Laurie Bayen
See the sign-on letter to world leaders below
In 1992 I was part of the United Methodist delegation to Rio de Janeiro during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, where George HW Bush signed the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the foundational climate treaty. At that conference, the nations of the world agreed that not only would they work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the wealthy nations would also transfer renewable technologies and funds to poorer nations to enable them to “leapfrog” over the fossil-fuel-intensive model that wealthier nations had followed. In this way, with gradual reductions in greenhouse gas reductions and shared renewable technologies, we could protect the environment and alleviate poverty at the same time.
It was a hopeful time. There was lots of media coverage, with pictures of the earth from space on Time and Newsweek magazines and articles reflecting hopefulness and enthusiasm all around. Fast forward to today, the first day of the 29th Conference of the Parties, COP29, when the nations of the world begin meeting in Azerbaijan for climate talks. The mood is not so hopeful now. The promises of Rio have not been kept.
Instead, we face a perilous moment of choice. The window of time to stabilize the climate still stands slightly open, but if we continue along the current path, it will soon slam shut. Greenhouse gas emissions and global temperatures have been rising year after year. In fact, half of the burden of greenhouse gases now in the atmosphere have been released in the past 30 years, since Rio, despite our good intentions.
Scientists tell us that this is the decade in which we must act if we hope for overall global temperatures to stay under the 1.5°C limit agreed on at the Paris Accords, or under even 2° C. Here’s how the scientists put it in the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report (B.6): “All global modelled pathways that limit warming to 1.5°C… and those that limit warming to 2°C…, involve rapid and deep and, in most cases, immediate greenhouse gas emissions reductions in all sectors this decade. In other words: we need a phaseout of fossil fuels.
People committed to climate justice both inside and outside the talks in Azerbaijan and people around the world are advocating and organizing for a strong commitment by all parties at the talks for a phaseout of fossil fuels and payments for loss and damage to the countries most harmed by climate change and least responsible for emissions. The Climate Reality Project is circulating the letter to world leaders (below), which I signed and sent and now present to you to consider signing. Find the link here.
Please also keep the talks in your prayers. Since fossil fuel representatives usually now outnumber delegates from any one country at the talks, the odds are against us that they will commit to quickly phasing out fossil fuels as science says we must. Further frustrating our goals, the incoming administration may again pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accords. But it is certainly not time to give up. Through prayer and ongoing faithful action, the Spirit carries us through whatever we go through, however difficult, and intercedes for us “with sighs too deep for words.”
Take Action:
Stop funding fossil fuels and accelerate a just transition to clean energy.
Dear World Leaders,
You gave us the Paris Agreement. And promised you’d work together to hold global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius so we’d prevent the worst of climate change. 1.5 was a lifeline for the planet. A chance to protect our future. Especially in the Global South. Watching the sea swallow our homes. Sweating through lethal heat waves. Seeing our families suffer. All from pollution that we didn’t create but made others rich.
For all of us, 1.5 was hope. But so far, you’ve failed to deliver. Failed to end your addiction to fossil fuels. Failed to turn those speeches into the support billions need to survive. So what have we seen instead? The hottest years on record. Thousands dying prematurely who didn’t have to. And the climate crisis moving faster than ever.
We MUST move faster too. So we’re calling on you to rise to the moment. To do what it takes to keep the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5 alive. That means real climate action plans to phase out fossil fuels and transition to clean energy as fast as countries can. With rich nations going first. It means making the energy transition fair for everyone. Finally delivering the finance Global South nations need to grow with clean energy. It means making truly brave commitments to climate action. Commitments that will actually keep 1.5 alive. And then turning them into real action right away. Real action to keep 1.5 alive NOW. This is the moment. History is watching. So are we. Sincerely, [Your information here]