Secretary-General, in Video Message, Tells Climate Change Youth Rally to Challenge Leaders, Governments to ‘Do More’, Adopt Strong Actions

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message to the Climate Leaders Roundtable on Building Momentum for Action in Paris, a multi-faith, multinational youth rally, at St. Peter’s Square, in the Vatican, today:

Dear friends, we have one Earth.  We are one human family.  It is our sacred duty to care for our common home.  Young people can and must be the world’s conscience on climate change.  I urge you to continue raising your voices.  Challenge your leaders to do more.  Demand that your Governments adopt a strong climate agreement in Paris in December.  This is our last chance to avoid the worst impacts of a warming world and our best chance to end poverty and provide a life of dignity for all.

I welcome the encyclical released by His Holiness Pope Francis.  His Holiness and I agree that we need a “new, open and respectful dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet”.  I salute you, and I am with you in spirit.