DearOn behatfoftheGovemmentandthepeople of Kiribati, allowme to beginby sharing with youall our traditionalblessing of 'Kam na baneni Mauri' - (MayWeAtways Be BlessedWith GoodHealth).I amtaking this opportunityto seek yourindulgenceandyour support to lendthevoice of yourpeople to mine on a callfor a globalmoratoriumon newcoal mines, as an essentialinttialstepon our collectiveglobalaction againstclimatechange.I believe thatas a globalcommunitywe have achievedconsiderableprogresson the climatechangedebatesinceourmeeting at Copenhagenin 2009. lndeed wehavelent our voices tothis issue with particularemphasison our collectivemoral obligationto tackleclimate changeas accentuatedby voicesas diverseas UNSGBanKiMoon, U.S.PresidentObama, the G7leadersand His HolinessPopeFrancis.However,the urgencyof theissuecannot be emphasizedenoughand it is nowa matterof'wheredo we go from here'.Actionnow is imperativefor we are now facingmajor challengesnever facedbefore not only from therise in sea levels, but also from the real possibilityofchangesfrom the cunent weatherpaterns. lndeed the forcesof naturehave intensifiedmorethan ever beforeand are occuningwith greater frequency,regrettably for mostof us theconsequenceshave been devastating.It is myfirm convic{ionthatas a globalcommuni$we can andmust takeactionnow.lndeed,in hisrecent encyclicalletter, Pope Franciswrote'Weknowthattechnologybased on theuseof highlypollutingfossil fuels - especially coal, butalso oil and, to a lesser degree, gas -needs to be progressivelyreplacedwithout delay." The IEA and the Bank of Englandjoin anever growinglist who see thiswithgreat clarity.Notonlythatbutscience,as confirmedby theIPCC, dictatesthat for the worldto avoidcatastrophicclimatechangewe must leavethevastbulkof carbon reservesin the ground.Very simply,the world needsto burn lesscoal eachyear.To this effect,Kiribati as a nation facedwitha very uncertainfutureis calling for a globalmoratoriumon new coal mines.lt wouldbe onepositive step towards our collectivegtobalactionagainstclimatechangeandit is my sincerehope thatyouandyourpeople wouldaddyour positivesupportin thisendeavour.Letus join togetheras a globalcommunityandtakeaction now.The constructionof each newcoalmine underminesthespiritand intentof anyagreementwemayreach,particularlyin the upcomingCOP21 in Paris, whilststoppingnewcoalmine constructionsNOW willmakeany agreementreachedin Paristruly historical.-nqw!.'::,,,As be&r,e,ue ha$E a moral oOtlgatbnto erlslrre @ the futwe of ow {*iiHren, drgrya tdti*otddrcnb s*ad soctne.Fortreir sake,I wgo ),ou to suppst thbet$'&ra rwds$ri ar rprr ood mfles*td eodminecxpa@ts.
