(as world leaders gather at the Glasgow Climate Summit)
Nations are gathering again. And in so doing, rekindle the light of hope for our world.
On my cynical days, I say, “Well, here we go again!” Another climate summit. This time it’s the UN Climate Summit – held in Glasgow (also referred to in the ritual here as “The Glasgow Summit” or “COP26”), from October 31 through November 12, in (you guessed it!) Glasgow, Scotland.
I’m sometimes cynical when I think of the summit because again and again, nations have gathered, hammered out deals and promises and commitments, and it never seems to be quite enough. And time is running out. This summit meeting is a pivotal one and is what many experts are calling our last, best hope to fend off the worst of climate carnage.
So, in the interests of keeping hope burning in our hearts, I will cast aside my cynicism (this time), and say instead, “Let’s try this again!” Let’s try to get it right. Let’s take with the utmost seriousness the goals of the summit: phasing out of coal and rapidly moving to renewables, curtailing deforestation, restoring eco-systems, building resilient infrastructures and agriculture, and making damn sure the wealthier countries and international financial institutions do their part in freeing up the funds to help make this happen.
And even as I fling aside my cynicism, I acknowledge that the leaders gathered in Glasgow will need all the prayers they can get. And so do the rest of us. Hence, this short Ritual for Leadership and Action.
We are running out of time. We still have time. We all need to commit to action on all levels – personal, communal, governmental, international. We may yet turn this devastation around and Creation may yet again flourish albeit in new and different ways.
May it be so. Oh God, may it be so!
The entire ritual is in PDF format.