Typhoon Haiyan

All over the news, we are hearing about the devastation in the Philippines in the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan, with 10,000 people feared dead. This typhoon may well be the strongest storm ever to make landfall in recorded history. Our hearts and thoughts are all with the nation of Philippines, and with those all around the world still waiting to hear about relatives and loved ones.
What you may not have heard is that the 19th meeting of the United Nations Climate Change talks began earlier today in Warsaw, Poland. At the opening of the conference Yeb Sano, the head of delegation for the Philippines, spoke about the storm, and about climate change. His speech is among the most powerful I’ve ever read. Calling the climate crisis “madness”, he announced that, in solidarity with his countrymen who are struggling to find food and water, and his brother who has not eaten in three days, he was foregoing food until a meaningful outcome to the meeting was in sight.
If you care about climate change – no, actually, especially if you don’t care about climate change – take five minutes and read it here.

A man looks at the wreckage of destroyed houses in Tacloban on November 10, 2013.  Source: cnn.com
A man looks at the wreckage of destroyed houses in Tacloban on November 10, 2013. Source: cnn.com