Greetings,

You would almost need to be living under a rock to not be aware of the COP26 global climate summit which is currently taking place in Glasgow.  COP26 is seen to be crucial if we are to reduce the rate of climate change and the devastating effects it has on the earth.

After doing some research I discovered that the reason the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference is known as COP26 is because it brings together the Conference of the Parties for a number of treaties.  A conference of the Parties is the supreme governing body of an international convention, composed of representatives of all Parties and accredited observers of each treaty.  Almost 200 countries are present at COP26, where each is being asked about their plans to cut emissions and contribute to the common good.

The effects of climate change are not difficult to see when we look around.  The horrific bushfires that are a real threat every year attest to this; rising sea levels affect those living in island communities.  Chris and John Burley recently shared about the impact on Vanuatu. 

I invite you to join with me in snippets of a prayer written for COP26 by Lindsey Fielder Cook. 

We pray for courage and compassion to transform those human activities destroying nature and altering the climate system on which our lives depend.

We pray our hearts to reject fear and embrace love, hope and transformation for a more health, safe, clean and sustainable world.  We pray for strength that our lives be patterns and examples.

We pray for protection of the poor and most vulnerable communities, those least responsible yet most affected by our insufficient climate action.

We pray for wisdom, courage and compassion in our climate negotiators, to find shared solutions together that honour the needs of the poorest, while reflecting meaningful action from the richest and highest emitters.

(For the full prayer visit:  https://www.arrcc.org.au/prayers_for_a_successful_cop26)

Blessings – Heather.