“We must decide what kind of world we want to leave to future generations. We must choose to live differently; we must choose life.” Thus reads the joint declaration of Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby, on the occasion of the 26th Climate Change Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention (COP26).
The international summit in Glasgow, Scotland, had been delayed a year due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, but it is now scheduled from October 31 to November 12. It is regarded as the most crucial global climate gathering since COP21, which led to the Paris Agreement of 2015. Pope Francis was expected to be among about 120 world leaders—including Queen Elizabeth and US president, Joe Biden—due to attend COP26, but in early October the Vatican confirmed that the Holy See’s delegation would be led instead by secretary of state, Pietro Cardinal Parolin.
For more than two years, Catholic development agencies, religious congregations and the Vatican have been prepping for COP26. In early October, Pope Francis convened an unusual gathering of the religious leaders of the world [Sunday Examiner, October 10]. They signed a joint appeal addressed to negotiators at COP26, urging them to act because “This is a critical moment. Our children’s future and the future of our common home depends on it.” The joint declaration underlines the urgent need for global cooperation to tackle a series of crises, including health, environmental, food, economic and social crises, that are deeply interconnected. A way out is possible only through a concerted effort by all nations and their leaders.
COP26 calls on nations of the world to submit new climate pledges toward limiting average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above that of pre-industrial times. It is no longer alarmist to state that the future of humanity hangs in the balance. The present path leads, in the words of the UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, to a “catastrophic” endpoint. He says that “accelerating the global phase-out of coal is the single most important step to keep” the warming of the earth in check.
But the road is not going to be smooth. So far, 114 countries and the European Union have presented plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions. To keep the 1.5 degree target in sight, countries must cut emissions by at least 45 per cent by 2030. The US remains the world’s largest oil and gas producer. Biden has pledged to cut his country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2030.
Chinese president, Xi Jinping, has pledged to make China carbon neutral by 2060 and in December said, “No one can be aloof and unilateralism will get us nowhere.” India has also reaffirmed its pledge to the Paris accord. The world looks up to such major players to create a common awareness and to set priorities.
The five years since 2015 have been the hottest years on record. Many parts of the world have been hit by extreme weather: heatwaves, wildfires, severe storms and flooding. Scientists link these to global warming. Time is running out for the planet. Our prayers and thoughts must be with all the delegates at COP26.
Jose CMF
