We must abandonthe conceit that individual, isolated, private actions are the answer. They canand do help. But they will not take us far enough without collective action. Atthe same time, we must ensure that in mobilizing globally, we do not invite theestablishment of ideological conformity and a new lock-step “ism.”

That meansadopting principles, values, laws, and treaties that release creativity andinitiative at every level of society in multifold responses originatingconcurrently and spontaneously.

This newconsciousness requires expanding the possibilities inherent in all humanity.The innovators who will devise a new way to harness the sun’s energy forpennies or invent an engine that’s carbon negative may live in Lagos or Mumbaior Montevideo. We must ensure that entrepreneurs and inventors everywhere onthe globe have the chance to change the world.

When we unite fora moral purpose that is manifestly good and true, the spiritual energy unleashedcan transform us. The generation that defeated fascism throughout the world inthe 1940s found, in rising to meet their awesome challenge, that they hadgained the moral authority and long-term vision to launch the Marshall Plan,the United Nations, and a new level of global cooperation and foresight thatunified Europe and facilitated the emergence of democracy in Germany, Japan,Italy and much of the world. One of their visionary leaders said, “It is timewe steered by the stars and not by the lights of every passing ship.”

We must understandthe connections between the climate crisis and the afflictions of poverty, hunger,HIV/AIDS and other pandemics. As these problems are linked, so too must betheir solutions. We must begin by making the common rescue of the globalenvironment the central organizing principle of the world community.

Heads of stateshould meet early next year to review what was accomplished in Bali and take personalresponsibility for addressing this crisis. It is not unreasonable to ask, giventhe gravity of our circumstances, that these heads of state meet every threemonths until the treaty is completed.

We also need amoratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal withoutthe capacity to safely trap and store carbon dioxide.

And most importantof all, we need to put a price on carbon – with a CO2 tax that is then rebatedback to the people, progressively, according to the laws of each nation, inways that shift the burden of taxation from employment to pollution. This is byfar the most effective and simplest way to accelerate solutions to this crisis.

The world nowneeds an alliance – especially of those nations that weigh heaviest in thescales where earth is in the balance. I salute Europe and Japan for the stepsthey’ve taken in recent years to meet the challenge, and the new government inAustralia, which has made solving the climate crisis its first priority.

These are the lastfew years of decision, but they can be the first years of a bright and hopeful futureif we do what we must. No one should believe a solution will be found withouteffort, without cost, without change. Let us acknowledge that if we wishtoredeem squandered time and speak again with moral authority, then these arethe hard truths:

The way ahead isdifficult. The outer boundary of what we currently believe to be feasible is stillfar short of what we actually must do. Moreover, between here and there, acrossthe unknown, falls the shadow.

We are standing atthe most fateful fork in that path. So I want to end as I began, with a vision oftwo futures – each a palpable possibility – and with a prayer that we will seewith vivid clarity the necessity of choosing between those two futures, and theurgency of making the right choice now.

The greatNorwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen, wrote, “One of these days, the younger generationwill come knocking at my door.”

The future isknocking at our door right now. Make no mistake, the next generation will askus one of two questions. Either they will ask,“What were you thinking; whydidn’t you act? ”

Or they will askinstead, “How did you find the moral courage to rise and successfully resolve acrisis that so many said was impossible to solve?”

We have everythingwe need to get started, save perhaps political will, but political will is a renewableresource.

So let us renewit, and let us say together, “We have a purpose. We are many. For this purpose wewill rise, and we will act.”