Greenfaith: Hope is not a strategy for climate justice. Resistance is.

COP26 was a reminder that the world’s governments are unwilling to meet the emergency we face.  

COP26 was full of pledges – to lower methane emissions, end deforestation, transition away from coal. But all of these pledges are voluntary, and echo prior voluntary pledges that governments and industry have failed to meet. In the face of an approaching disaster, “voluntary” is not enough.

A decade ago, the world’s wealthiest countries pledged to pay $100 billion per year by 2020 to help the world’s poorest countries to reduce their own emissions and to adapt to a hotter world. These wealthy countries have still failed to pay that amount in full, while small islands face rising seas and millions of farmers across Africa and Asia face droughts and floods.

Governments have refused to set a clear timetable for phasing out fossil fuels, which are the primary cause of climate change. Instead, more and more countries are starry-eyed about unproven technological solutions which would entrench the status quo.

These outcomes make it clear: hope is not a strategy for climate justice. Resistance is.

 

That’s why we joined the 100,000 person march in Glasgow, whose size sent a powerful message to politicians and business leaders around the world. Our own Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo spoke to this massive crowd at the rally following the march, saying “We will not stop until we have a world governed by compassion, love, and justice.

When we work together across our lines of faith we make the world more compassionate, loving, and just.