Background
In 2015 at COP21 in Paris, an ambitious agreement made between 197 nations
In 2015 at COP21 in Paris, an ambitious agreement made between 197 nations
To do that the Agreement said we would reduce our emissions together, and eventually decarbonise completely. Richer countries repeated their promises to fund poorer countries to find clean ways to develop.
World leaders decided that each country would decide for themselves how quickly to reduce their emissions, and how they would do it. Similarly, each country would choose how much money to contribute towards the total amount of $100 billion a year by 2020.
Three important developments must take place. They are:
It often feels like the challenge of climate change and keeping global warming to within 1.5 degrees is impossible. But, the Christian experience is that with faith, all things are possible. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus says if we have faith the size of a mustard seed then we can do the impossible. That includes keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees.
This COP is a crucial COP. An ambitious deal in Katowice includes agreeing fair, robust and transparent rules to turn Paris into action, finance for developing countries to adapt and stronger commitments and national country plans by 2020. It may seem impossible to do, but with faith, it will be possible.