"Enough for All" campaign focuses on climate change

Drawing water at a pump in Orissa, India
Photo: R. Waghray/CWS

April 28, 2008

Global warming and other changes in climate patterns are dramatically reshaping life on this planet. These changes affect where we can live, the food we grow and eat, the existence of particular species of plants and animals, the prevalence of hunger, poverty and disease, our ability to earn a living or engage in a particular livelihood, as well as whether we can continue certain cultural and spiritual practices.

For everyone on this planet to thrive, those of us who live in wealthy nations must be willing to change how we live. Global warming first and foremost is a justice issue. More than ever before, we must grapple with the question “How much is enough?”

“The “Enough for All” campaign focuses on the critical issue of global warming and demonstrates the positive and successful collaboration across various stakeholders in civil society to address the life giving resource- water- in terms of being most critically impacted by global warming and the defining resource of the 21st century. The work builds on the successful education and advocacy model that demonstrates pragmatic inspiration for mobilizing political will, community empowerment and citizen engagement,” says CWS Director of Education and Advocacy, Rajyashri Waghray.

Church World Service (CWS) and its partners are also working to mitigate climate change while at the same time adapt to those changes that are already here.

The Advocacy Principles, on which the campaign is based, are:

The U.S. agrees to substantial, time-bound commitments to cut greenhouse gases.

U.S. policies to cut emissions are equitable and ensure that adaptation costs are borne by those most responsible for the emissions.

The U.S. provides substantial assistance to enable developing countries to adapt to the serious consequences of climate change; this assistance will be above and beyond current responsibilities and financial commitments for development assistance.

Adaptation funds are distributed through channels that are open, accountable, and fully responsive to the needs of affected communities in developing countries.

The U.S. works collaboratively with other nations to address climate change and the critical linkages between global warming and global poverty.