Commentary

Robert Redford: World Leaders Should ‘Take Bold Action’ in Paris Climate Agreement


WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–November 20, 2015 – With a crucial climate summit beginning soon in Paris, Robert Redford has released a video kicking off a citizen petition drive calling on world leaders to “take bold action” to avoid the damaging impacts of climate change.

“We’re running out of time. But as a husband, a father and a grandfather, I do have hope,” Redford says in the 90-second video released today on social media. “If we want to leave our children, grandchildren and future generations a healthy planet, we’ve got to respond now to the challenge of climate change.

“This is our only planet,” Redford adds. “This may be our last chance. So let’s protect the most important thing in the world: our children’s future.”

In the video—featuring scenes of drought, fierce storms, and melting glaciers—the actor, producer, environmentalist and trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council says the world must come together now to slash dangerous carbon pollution making us and our planet sick.

“Moderate weather is virtually extinct – and global instability, poverty and conflict are rising along with the temperature,” he says. “We can prevent this disaster, if we work together to do something different.”

In December, world leaders hope to do so when they gather in Paris to hammer out an international climate accord. The U.N. announced it would go ahead with the 21st Conference of the Parties, known as COP21, after the recent terrorist attacks in Paris.

Robert Redford, a highly respected leader on environmental issues, has spoken out repeatedly for strong action to address climate change.

In 2013, he worked with NRDC on a TV and online ad calling on President Obama to rein in carbon pollution from the nation’s biggest source, coal-fired power plants. The ad is here: https://vimeo.com/67822369

Last June, Redford delivered an impassioned speech on climate change at the U.N. here: http://www.ew.com/article/2015/06/30/robert-redford-climate-change-united-nations.

NRDC worked with Redford to produce the Paris climate video, which will run on NRDC social media channels and be sent to NRDC supporters and activists.

Redford’s video is here: https://youtu.be/89xuO7k8ccM

The text of his comments in the video follows:

“We’re running out of time. But as a husband, a father and a grandfather, I do have hope.

“If we want to leave our children, grandchildren and future generations a healthy planet, we’ve got to respond now to the challenge of climate change.

“You know as well as I do how serious the threat is.

“The carbon pollution that drives climate change is making us sick – it’s poisoning the air we breathe and the water we drink.

“It’s making our planet sick, too. Moderate weather is virtually extinct – and global instability, poverty and conflict are rising along with the temperature.

“We can prevent this disaster, if we work together to do something different.

“Everywhere we look people are beginning to take action on their own – in their homes, in their cities, in their own lives.

“And this December, leaders from every nation in the world will gather in Paris to work for change, too.

“They know that we’ve all contributed to this crisis, and therefore we’ve all got be part of the solution.

“If we stand together, we can change the course of history.

“I hope you will stand with me and others – by signing a global petition at NRDC.org calling on world leaders to take bold action now.

“This is our only planet. This may be our last chance.

“So let’s protect the most important thing in the world: our children’s future.”

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 2 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world’s natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.
Source: www.nrdc.org

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