On Sunday 31st March, Christians around the world will be celebrating Easter, a commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our hearts are heavy as we witness our planet buried beneath relentless heat waves, a reminder of the urgent need to resurrect our dying Earth from the brink of environmental catastrophe. In Uganda, the impacts of climate change have been widely felt with many people pointing to the unprecedented heat that has recently taken toll. Are read to keep complaining about the heat while doing nothing about it? Are we going to only think about restoring our climate only when there is a trigger?
This year’s Easter presents a pitiful opportunity for us to reflect on our actions towards the climate in the face of unprecedented challenges.
As we prepare to commemorate the resurrection of hope and renewal, it is impossible to ignore the obvious realities of climate change unfolding around us.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) 2018 Special report, maintaining below 1.5°C is very important because adaptation will be less difficult compared to going above 1.5°C which points to great consequences.
Various initiatives have been implemented by different climate activists across the globe, including the Climate Clock team that uses science to track our carbon emissions and count the number of years left for us to progressively work towards staying below the 1.5°C mark, where going past it is a point of no return. The bad news is that we only have five years left to overtun this incoming deadly and irreversible catastrophe.
Heat waves scorch the land, leading to droughts which parch the earth, and a once vibrant ecosystems wither under the relentless onslaught of human-induced climate crisis. This Easter, as we gather with our loved ones, let us not turn a blind eye to the suffering of our planet, but instead, let us heed the call to act on restoring and reviving our wounded Earth.
The Easter story, with its message of resurrection and redemption, holds profound lessons for us as stewards of the Earth. Jesus’ death and resurrection, triumphant over death, led to a new everlasting life. We too can rise from the ashes of environmental degradation and breathe new life into our planet. This is possible if we reflect on our own actions and behaviors that have contributed to the climate crisis, and to recommit ourselves to the sacred task of restoring our fragile climate.
The heat waves that are currently gripping our planet are not merely a result of natural phenomena, but are worsened by human activities such as deforestation, industrialization, and the burning of fossil fuels. The rampant burning of charcoal, bushes, plastic use, farming in wetlands and many others all contribute to the heat we are all crying about.
We stand united in our commitment to advocating for a better environment and pushing the climate restoration message to our policy makers and all general citizens of the world. Everyone is called upon to engage in practices that promote environmental sustainability, equity, and resilience. Let us harness the power of collective action and solidarity to approach the climate crisis head-on, knowing that together, we have the power to resurrect our dying planet and create a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
In the words of Pope Francis, “We need to care for the Earth so that it may continue, as God willed, to be a source of life for the entire human family.”
