On Saturday I had the pleasure of signing the Statement of Purpose for the 2016 Cambridge Climate Congress. The purpose of the congress was to convene the Cambridge community to discuss the current challenges of climate change and ways in which all people can act as climate citizens to create solutions. Over the last six weeks discussions were held to talk about issues and solutions to climate change around the topics of diversity, political and religious values, age, and income. Read the report for a more detailed explanation of the congress. While Saturday was the closing session of the congress it is just the beginning of the work ahead. The delegates and others at the session brainstormed on actions to move forward. We discussed things such as informational resources for organizations and individuals, digital and in-person ways to share knowledge and to have a two-way dialogue, methods to build community awareness and help people to get involved, especially disenfranchised communities. Climate change affects us all, it does not discriminate. It affects all aspects of our lives from health to economy. Now more than ever it is critical that we speak about the importance of climate change action.
We can act now to protect ourselves, future generations, and life on earth from the conditions of a changing climate. We believe it is our responsibility to act now to:
- Adapt our way of living,
- Conserve natural resources and systems, and
- Restore the natural cycles on which life on earth depends.
We do this as free citizens of a universal community of mutual and just responsibility, committed to caring for one another. We pledge to act on and communicate this commitment and to engage members of our communities in Cambridge and beyond. Our response is a necessary part of the national and global response, freely offered with a commitment to justice for all in a common struggle.
Topics: Sustainability