“It often surprises me that addressing climate change is cast primarily as an environmental or green crusade. That the way we live our lives today will determine the future of the planet is true to some extent. It is in our power to nourish or despoil or home but either way, the planet will prevail…with or without us. As we plunder earth’s gifts unsustainably and release poisonous gases into the atmosphere, we often fail to recognise that, yes, this is a crime against the planet, but more fundamentally it is a crime against humanity. The earth has tremendous resilience and capacity to repair the wounds of our over-consumption. Unfortunately, we are not so endowed.
Ultimately, climate change is an issue of human rights. It is about whether we value human civilisation enough to ensure a viable future for ourselves – co-existing peacefully in our natural environments and with our fellow species. It is about whether we want to survive and whether we want the same quality of life for our children as, not only we enjoyed, but also as is their fundamental right as a human being.
Thankfully, this message is gaining increasing prominence in the climate change discourse. And it is poignantly symbolised in the incredible strength shown by a small group of people worldwide – the Climate Justice Fasters – who have put their bodies on the line over the past 42 days, to show their commitment to protecting humanity. Through their sacrifice, these remarkable people highlight that climate change is already worsening the lives of people worldwide, particularly those in developing countries, who are least capable of responding to its impacts.
Already, children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters are suffering under the dirty hand of climate change. And the majority of these people are those least responsible for the mess. These are individuals who live simply yet who increasingly struggle to simply live.
On Thursday the 17th, people worldwide will engage in an act of solidarity for our fellow brothers and sisters. In foregoing food for one day, albeit a minor sacrifice, we seek to send a message of hope, strength and faith in our future. We seek to highlight the generosity of this marvelous planet and the kindness of her people. We seek to show world leaders that failure to address climate change serves to undo the momentous achievements of humankind during our short history on this earth. It sends a message of despair to future generations and it will cast us in the history books as a species who didn’t care enough to secure a magnificent, let alone viable, future.
Through our fasting, we seek to convey a simple message to all people – a message of equity and human rights. And we seek to echo Gandhi’s words, that the:
“earth provides enough for every [person’s] need, but not every [person’s] greed.”
Together we, the people of the world, the mothers and fathers, the children and grandparents, the leaders and workers – can solve this mess. Together…with kindness….we can do this.”
