by Marian Pallister

History will, of course, be the judge of the outcomes of the COP26 conference, and that judgement may be harsh. Listening to the delegate from Tuvalu during the dying moments of the negotiations make his moving plea for stronger and more immediate action to save his island nation in the South Pacific was reminder enough that this had been a ‘rich and white’ conference.

Nonetheless, if you had joined the online events hosted by Glasgow University’s Theology and Religious Studies Department and Pax Christi Scotland, I feel sure you would have shared my feeling that there is some cause for optimism. Speakers from around the world queued up to condemn the climate situation we find ourselves in and the way we got here, but also to assure us that Catholics are truly on a Laudato Si´ journey that can help persuade the ‘rich and white’ negotiators that the language must be stronger, the actions more immediate.