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CAFOD calls for urgent action as climate talks end


Robin Mace-Snaith and Charlie Bennett  at COP 25 -  image Liam Finn /CAFOD

Robin Mace-Snaith and Charlie Bennett at COP 25 - image Liam Finn /CAFOD

Catholic aid agency CAFOD has said governments must set more ambitious targets and policies for cutting emissions as the UN climate talks in Madrid draw to a close.

Negotiators from more than 190 countries have gathered in Madrid for 'COP25' - the 25th annual UN climate change meeting, which is aimed at ensuring the world works together to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 degrees.

The presidency of the COP will pass to the UK at the end of the conference, with next year's talks scheduled to take place in Glasgow.

Representatives from CAFOD, including climate and policy analyst Robin Mace-Snaith, and campaigner Charlie Bennett from the Archdiocese of Southwark, travelled to Madrid by train for the summit.

During the conference, they spoke to representatives from around the world about global action on climate change, highlighting how the effects of climate change are already being seen by the communities that CAFOD works alongside.

Robin Mace-Snaith said: "The climate talks are so important because they give all countries an equal voice at the table and only by meeting and working together can we produce long-term sustainable solutions.

"The climate crisis is already devastating communities we work alongside; from floods to fires, to unpredictable or extreme weather and failed harvests - we already know this is an urgent issue not for tomorrow, but today.

"As the UK takes over the presidency of next year's climate talks, the government must work to establish strong domestic policies to show the world it is possible for a major economy to deliver net zero emissions to an ambitious timeframe."

COP25 was viewed by many as an important step in resolving the issues necessary for the Paris Agreement to enter into force in Glasgow next year.

Negotiators at the Madrid COP hoped to make final decisions on the rules in the Paris Agreement, which aims to avoid temperatures rising more than 1.5 degrees above levels seen before the industrial revolution.

Charlie Bennett said: "The Catholic community has already joined with millions of others to make their voices heard - joining marches, taking part in climate strikes or signing petitions and lobbying their MPs.

"Now we need to demand that those in power take immediate action to tackle the climate crisis."

Catholics across England and Wales have already shown massive support for climate action. Over 1,500 CAFOD supporters recently took part in the largest ever environmental lobby and nearly 75 parishes and school from across the country have got involved in CAFOD's LiveSimply award. Thousands more wrote to the government urging that a net-zero target be written into law.

Call for urgent action to tackle the climate crisis at cafod.org.uk/climate



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