'We see it:' The realities of global warming are finally accepted around the world

'This international climate accord is a tremendous step forward.'

With more and more nations agreeing that climate change is not only real, but also dangerous, more world leaders are making a move to save the planet.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Senator Jeff Merkley took the Senate floor last week to say global warming is one of the greatest challenges of his generation.

The next day, Secretary of State John Kerry signed the Paris climate agreement at the United Nations.

So far, 175 nations signed the landmark climate accord, which must still pass through several legal stages before the plan can be implemented.

The agreement calls for the reduction of emissions, being transparent and accountable, for world governments to adapt and, hopefully, improve the effects of climate change and to support climate action to reduce emissions in developing countries.

Other countries still have one year to decide if they would like to sign the agreement, while countries representing at least 55 percent of global emissions have already signed on.

Merkley explained before the rest of the Senate: "This international climate accord is a tremendous step forward. It makes clear the world recognizes that global warming is a very significant and grave concern facing human civilization on this planet. It is, indeed, the moral challenge of our generation.

"I am proud and inspired by the global community's unprecedented commitment to avert global warming, to avert a climate crisis. We know what the stakes are. We don't need computer models to look 50 years into the future because the impacts are here today.

"We see it in our own communities. We see it in our own States. We see it through the impact of droughts, the impact of wildfires, the impact of heat waves, the storms, the hurricanes, the tornadoes. We see it, through story after story of this year or this month being the warmest ever recorded by humans."

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