Buddhist leaders called on world heads to act now and end climate change through a letter released on Thursday, Oct. 29. Dalai Lama together with 14 other officials signed the letter, which urges the eradication of fossil fuels and promotion of total use of renewable energy.
The letter, entitled "Buddhist Climate Change Statement to World Leaders," is said to be the first time that Buddhist heads came together to address a global issue.
In the letter, the leaders wrote that they have united before the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris to contribute to the increasing calls for world leaders to participate in the endeavor with empathy and wisdom and arrive at a grandiose and effective concurrence.
The authors said that the world is currently at a crucial time where human and species survival are on the verge due to the actions of the people. Climate change and its effects may still be delayed; however, they explained that the Paris conference, which will start on Nov. 30, 2015, should drive us towards the road to phasing out fossil fuels. The most vulnerable populations should be protected via alleviation and adaptation strategies that are idealistic and extensive.
The authors said to be coming from a perspective based on Buddha's understanding of the concept of co-arising, which correlate all things in the universe. They wrote that comprehending this casual relationship and the effects of one's actions are important points in decreasing impacts to the environment. "Cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion, we will be able to act out of love, not fear, to protect our planet," they wrote.
For decades, the heads of Buddhism has spoke about this interconnection; however daily life can result in people forgetting about how their lives are interwoven to nature through the food, water and air they use. People are breaking their actual life support by losing insight.
To put a halt to this issue, the Buddhist leaders urge world leaders to come up with the political will to ensure that global temperatures remain below 1.5 degrees Celsius. The authors also called out for unity to scale up climate budget and aid developing nations in preparing for the effects of climate change and the transitions warranted as the future turns into a low-carbon world.
Photo: Christopher Michel | Flickr
