Signing the Paris Deal

By Lydia Mogano

Today, 22 April 2016, world leaders and dignitaries from all over the will attended a high-level ceremony at the United Nations to officially sign and bring the new climate change agreement it into effect. This agreement calls over 195 UN members states to commit to a long-term global mitigation goal of reducing the atmospheric concentration carbon emissions to limit the temperature increase to ‘well below 2 °C’ leading to 1,5 °C eventually. The key message we all should know is that achieving 1.5° C is possible and the more big emitting countries mitigate, the lesser most vulnerable countries need to adaptat. The lesser big emitting countries mitigate; the more vulnerable countries will need to adapt.

What does signing the deal mean to me as a young person of faith?

That world leaders:

1. Agree to move far away from business-as-usual and act now for climate justice.
2. Understand that decisions leaders made now will impact on my region’s (sub-Saharan) future climate adaptation!
3. Signing would demonstrate ethical leadership role for now and tomorrow

We all need to urge our political leaders to sign this deal so that we can move forward and act for climate justice.

For more details:

http://climateanalytics.org/blog/2016/paris-climate-deal-signing-ceremony-what-it-means-and-why-it-matters

Lydia is SAFCEI's Regional Co-ordinator