Today I am proud to stand in solidarity with you..
As a member of the older generation I confess our failure to you. Since 1970, when I was 10 years old, humanity has wiped out 60% of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles , the web of life is unravelling
The first commandment that God gave to us as the human race in Genesis 2:15 was to “work the earth and look after it” God entrusted this beautiful planet, teeming with life, into our hands. And we have failed.
We are warming the planet – threatening those most vulnerable with floods, drought and sea level rise. I visited Mozambique a few weeks ago and saw for myself the tears of families who had lost their homes and livelihoods through massive flooding. The city of Beira will go down in history as the first major city to be completely devastated by Climate Change. The warming seas supercharged the Cyclone and dumped enormous quantities of rain in a few short days, creating an inland sea. People sat on their roofs for days waiting to be rescued.
Our hearts have broken at the xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg and we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters across Africa – we are one Africa. Climate Change is pushing people off the land as the rains fail and into big cities, increasing tensions and violence.
When I look at Jesus I see that he always stood on the side of the marginalised, the poor and the hungry and so we as people of faith must stand on the side of those impacted by climate change. Scientists tell us that we have only 11 years left to make a rapid shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy in order to limit disastrous climate change.We have all the knowledge we need to solve this issue, what is lacking is political will. Climate Change is not an environmental problem – it is a human rights issue. It is the human rights issue of our time.
As a parent I am afraid for the future of my children. We are stealing their future from them and leaving them a bleak and barren world. But today you give me hope – the oceans are rising, but so are the young people. Just as on June 16th as the young people of Soweto we said enough is enough and took to the streets, once again our young people are at the forefront of the movement to fight Climate Change.
Phambili young people Phambili. Forward young People, forward