[Archbishop of Canterbury] The following is a statement from Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby:

“As global leaders gather at COP27, the world holds its breath. A world which has this year suffered further catastrophic flooding, drought, heat waves and storms. A world already in crisis. A world which knows that we are perilously near the point of no return.

“I’ve seen this myself just recently in Australia, whose great wealth is no protection against the flooding in New South Wales. And if it can happen in one of the most prosperous parts of the world, how much more devastating in one of the poorest like South Sudan, where more flooding has led to food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition.

“Living as one human family, I pray that we will hear clearly the voices of those suffering on the brutal front line of climate change and climate injustice. I pray that together we will listen to young people and Indigenous peoples. At this COP, hosted in Africa, the perspectives from that continent must be heard.”

Read the entire statement here.