Deputy Secretary-General, at Earth Multi-Faith Service, Says Religious

 

Leaders Should Use Pulpits to Reach Across Lines that Divide

 

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, to the Religions for the Earth Multi-Faith Service, in New York, 21 September:

It is a pleasure to join you at this very special, very original, service.

We are grateful to the faith leaders around the world who have guided their communities to reduce their impact on the environment.  Whether by addressing excess consumption, cleaning up rivers and waterways, or reducing carbon footprints, they have acted in pursuit of a single vision:  protecting our common home, planet Earth.

We face a serious challenge:  to live within nature’s limits and meet the needs of today’s generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

We must prevent runaway climate change.  We must make sustainable development a way of life.  Each of us can be a part of the solution.  And global cooperation will be essential.  That is why the Secretary-General has called all the world’s leaders to a Climate Summit on Tuesday at the United Nations.

The Summit has two aims:  to mobilize leadership for a meaningful, universal climate agreement in 2015, and to catalyse action, right here and right now, to reduce emissions and strengthen our ability to adapt to climate impacts.  We need both a new global agreement next year in Paris, and action here and now.

Faith leaders like you here today have an important role to play.  You can set an example of dialogue and mutual respect.  You can use your pulpits to convey important messages.  You can reach across the lines of faiths and identities that might otherwise divide people.  I ask you to continue to remind us of the ethical and moral dimensions of climate change.

Such efforts are needed not only on issues related to the environment, but in general at a time when we have seen so much sectarian turmoil and hatred.  I thank all of you for mobilizing the power of religion in a positive way.  Thank you for supporting the United Nations in our work to build lives of dignity for all.

On the eve of this historic Summit, towards which so many hopes and prayers are directed, the Secretary-General and I commit to ensure that tackling climate change is at the heart of all that we do.  Let us remember that there can be no lasting peace, nor sustainable development, unless the future of our planet is secured.  For this we have a responsibility and a mission.

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For information media • not an official record