Edmund Rice International

The most recent report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that made it clear that ‘rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society’ is needed to address climate change was underlined by Brian in presentations to Edmund Rice Network gatherings in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane during his Australian visit. The […]

It is it is still possible to keep global temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius  above pre-industrial values and limit the devastating impacts of climate change, However, this will require a vast, unprecedented global effort according to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). National pledges submitted to date […]

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has recently reported that concentrations of CO2 gas (a major greenhouse gas contributor to global warming) had surged in 2016 to reach a level not seen for more than 3 million years.. More alarmingly is that the abrupt rate of increase in concentration of the gas in the atmosphere is […]

A recently released major UN report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warns that climate change is “a major and growing threat to global food security”.  By 2030 an increase in the global population living in extreme poverty of between 35 and 122 million is predicted. The report is of particular relevance given that […]

Since 1970, the 22nd April has been designated as World Earth Day, “a movement which gave voice to an emerging consciousness, channelling human energy toward environmental issues.” This years Earth Day is especially significant, with world leaders and diplomats converging on the United Nations’ New York headquarters to sign the Paris Agreement on climate change […]

I was privileged to attend the first week of the COP21 in Paris on Climate Change as a delegate for Franciscans International, and I monitored for ERI networks the second week of decisions, when the draft text was refashioned by the politicians into the final Paris Agreement and Decisions. It was a tremendous process of […]

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) will take place in Paris from Nov 30th until Dec 11th. The conference objective is to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, from all the nations of the world. It is almost universally accepted that cooperative climate action is essential for the international community to […]

In less than eight months, humanity has used up nature’s budget for the entire year, according to data from Global Footprint Network. Global Footprint Network tracks humanity’s demand on the planet (Ecological Footprint) against nature’s ability to provide for this demand (biocapacity). Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s annual demand on nature exceeds […]

The recognised need for responsible management of chemicals in e-waste has brought together Governments, civil society, the private sector and the chemical industry. Hence, parties to three major chemical Conventions met recently in Geneva to consider the problem of electronic waste in the context of the global environment agenda. The issue raises two critical issues, […]

The specific contributions that faith traditions bring to the international climate debate was highlighted at the recent Interfaith Summit on Climate Change in New York, held in conjunction with the UN Climate Summit convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Thirty religious leaders from diverse religious traditions participated in the summit and signed a statement expressing […]