Take action today
We must never forget that we are one global family, united in this struggle against coronavirus.
The Climate Warriors: Auimatagi Joseph, Brianna and Sione on their visit to the UK from the Pacific islands.
Joseph, Brianna and Sione are young climate activists known as Pacific Climate Warriors. Drawn from across the Pacific region, they represent grassroots, frontline and indigenous communities. With support from around the world they are enabling young people in their communities to get involved in environmental justice issues.
In Pacific cultures the image of the warrior is that of a protector. The Pacific Climate Warriors work to revive our common home in the face of climate change. They are calling on world leaders to build a better world for us, and for generations to come.
They have spoken in the UK and all over the world to emphasise that the actions we take here have impacts there. Communities in the Pacific Islands could stand to lose everything unless the UK and other countries stop using fossil fuels, lower their carbon emissions and reduce their contributions to climate change
We need urgent action
The Climate Warriors are speaking up from the frontline of this climate crisis. Things are urgent now and we too have to play our part in the response. The UK now has an opportunity to take a lead. So we are petitioning the Prime Minister to commit to a target of net zero emissions by 2045 in UK law. If the UK can reach net zero, it means we are no longer contributing to climate change.
The UK was one of the leading countries on climate change at the time of the Paris Agreement, but we need to do more to protect our homes and our beautiful landscapes. Scientists have proven that we need to keep the world’s temperature within 1.5C. This increase in global temperatures can only be limited if we control the amount of greenhouse gases we release into the atmosphere.
Join the Our Common Home campaign
There are many ways to join the Our Common Home campaign, from signing our petition to joining us at the Time is Now mass climate lobby on 26 June. We really need everyone to come together and show the government we are demanding action on climate change.
You can help to raise awareness in your parish by running a Creation Celebration – a mass and a meal to celebrate God’s gift of creation and highlight our duty to protect it. We have created an Organisers' Guide to help you through the entire process.
Factbox 1
“There is this imagery of the canary in the coalmine. The Pacific is the canary in the coalmine right now. So we’re the first to go, if nothing happens, but eventually it’s going to affect you guys too if you don’t curb these habits of consumption which is driving your addiction to fossil fuels.”
Joseph Sapati Moeono-Kolio