Thought for the Week: A call to conscience

Lindsey Fielder Cook writes from Paris

by Lindsey Fielder Cook 4th December 2015

I write from Paris, and the international climate change conference, known as the Conference of Parties, or COP21. There are Quakers here from all over the world!

The COP21 is an historic chance to adopt a universal climate change agreement applicable to all countries. This is an essential move as current, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would lead us to a +4˚C global mean surface temperature rise above pre-industrial times. This rate of rise would threaten all eco-systems, freshwater supplies, our ability to grow food and work outdoors. Yet this does not have to happen. There is still time to avoid catastrophic climate change, but not much time.