Vi er besteforeldre fra Europa, og vi kan ikke tie stille! – Det skriver fellesorganisasjonen European Grandparents for Climate i et åpent brev som i dag ble overrakt EU-lederne som er samla på FNs klimatoppmøte i Brasil. Den globale klimasituasjon blir bare stadig mer alvorlig, og verden trenger kunnskapsbasert lederskap som aldri før!
Brevet ble overrakt av Svein Tveitdal fra BKA og Dirk van derr Roost fra belgiske Grootouders voor het Klimaat, som begge er til stede i Belém. De understreker at besteforeldrene venter resultater av COP30. – Vi er i ferd med å gå tom for tid. Beslutningene som tas her vil forme framtida for livet på jorda. Politikere må ikke la seg presse av mektige oljelobbyer. Deres profitt er kortvarig. Skaden de forårsaker vil vare i årtusener. Å unnlate å vise mot og lederskap nå, vil være utilgivelig!
OPEN LETTER to the Leaders Gathering at COP30 in Belém, Brazil
As the world’s leaders gather in Belém to confront the escalating climate crisis, humanity is watching — and waiting. We are running out of time. The decisions made here will shape the future of life on Earth.
In Brazil, you can see with your own eyes what is at stake. The Amazon – our planet’s green lung – is being destroyed before us. These ancient forests, vital to keeping our climate in balance, are still being cleared for short-term profit. This kind of predatory action must end. The world cannot continue down a path of self-destruction.We, the European Grandparents for Climate, are elders from across Europe who refuse to stay silent. In our later years, we choose not comfort, but conscience. We act because we cannot bear to watch our grandchildren – and yours – inherit a world of drought, fire, flood, and loss. We have lived long enough to know what is truly valuable, and it is not measured in money.
We call on you – the elected representatives of your peoples – to act with courage, integrity, and urgency. Science is clear. The window of opportunity is closing fast. You must commit to:
- A rapid, just phase-out of coal, oil, and gas.
- An end to subsidies and investments that fuel destruction.
- A global shift toward clean, fair, and renewable energy.
Do not let the pressure of powerful lobbies and fossil fuel interests dictate humanity’s fate. Their profits are temporary. The damage they cause will last for millennia. Lead for the people, not for the plutocrats.
History will remember what you do in Belém. Future generations will know whether you had the courage to change course – or the cowardice to let collapse continue. That would be unforgivable.
We still believe in your capacity to lead, to act, and to protect life.
The time is now. There is no later.
Godela von Kirchbach and Eva Riemer, Co-chairs.
European Grandparents for Climate