Taking a Needed Initiative
At our World Conferences, every four years, we improve our Guidelines, agree on goals for the next period, and discuss issues that are important to our Community and the world. At the next World Conference, in 2021, I will propose that we adopt and pursue an initiative on climate change.
Between World Conferences, it is my responsibility, as the International Reference Person, to put forward needed policies. Accordingly, I commit our Community to the following:
The RC Community, recognizing the clear evidence of dangerous and ongoing climate change caused primarily by human activity, will face the challenge of finding and acting on ways to stop it.
We know that distress interferes with human rationality. We will support all RC Community members to discharge any distress that keeps them from playing any role in the struggle to preserve the world. In doing this, we will recognize the role that all oppressions have played in creating the climate crisis and the need to act against all oppressions to find solutions.
Doing what’s needed will require each of us to challenge the distress recordings that have left us feeling powerless and alone. In challenging them, we will learn how to move rapidly forward—together and with confidence—in our personal relationships and in public opposition to irrational policies.
We will assist each other to learn about and understand the current situation, including by getting involved with individuals, Indigenous peoples, and organizations that are working to stop climate change. This will provide us with direct knowledge and contradict distress recordings of isolation and helplessness.
We will also share our knowledge and practice, so that those who are working on climate change can function more effectively.
We will create opportunities for RC Community members to gather to discuss the situation, discharge, and develop new ideas, tactics, and strategies as quickly as possible.
Tim Jackins
International Reference Person for the
Re-evaluation Counseling Communities
April 2019