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This is part two. Go to part one.
Goal 13 – Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Summary: The year 2017 was one of the three warmest on record and was 1.1 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial period. The world continues to experience rising sea levels, extreme weather conditions and increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. This calls for urgent and accelerated action by countries.
Reflection question: What kind of world do I want to leave those who come after me?
Learn more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
About Climate Change
- As of 9 April 2018, 185 of 197 parties have ratified the Paris Agreement. Pres. The Administration has pulled the US out of the Agreement.
- Thus far, 17 US governors have joined the Climate Alliance and more than 156 US mayors have joined 9,000 international mayors in the Global Climate Covenant, pledging to follow the Paris Agreement.
- Wind and solar technology is advancing, fossil fuel divestment is growing, international youth movements protesting the failure of political climate action are on the rise.
- The Green New Deal has been introduced in the US House of Representatives.
Food for Thought
Respect for the life of all Creation
I should like to address directly my brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church, in order to remind them of their serious obligation to care for all of creation. The commitment of believers to a healthy environment for everyone stems directly from their belief in God the Creator, from their recognition of the effects of original and personal sin, and from the certainty of having been redeemed by Christ. Respect for life and for the dignity of the human person extends also to the rest of creation, which is called to join all in praising God.
—Pope Saint John Paul II, World Day of Peace Message, No. 6, January 1, 1990
"...the ecological crisis is ... a summons to profound interior conversion. It must be said that some committed and prayerful Christians, with the excuse of realism and pragmatism, tend to ridicule expressions of concern for the environment. Others are passive; they choose not to change their habits and thus become inconsistent. So what they all need is an “ecological conversion”, whereby the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationship with the world around them. Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.
—Pope Francis, Laudato Sí §217
Prayer
Jesus, source of living water,
You sanctified water at the beginning of Creation as Your Spirit hovered above the waters. You created water as indispensable to all life.
We pray for those who do not have access to safe and affordable drinking water. Purify, protect and multiply water sources for those who suffer from water pollution, scarcity and lack of sanitation. Grant us forgiveness when we do not act responsibly in our use of water.
God of Creation, open our eyes, to the urgent challenges of climate change. Give us a deep sense of concern for the future of our environment. Help us to make choices that will bring an end to the exploitation of Earth. Teach us to be responsible stewards protecting and respecting the gift of creation you have placed in our care. Give decision makers around the world the wisdom to find creative solutions to ensure climate justice. Amen.
