Pagans have no trouble believing what all reputable scientists are telling us: Human activity has altered the carbon balance of the atmosphere, and unless we make major changes very soon, the diversity and resiliency of the planet will be seriously compromised, the ability of humans to thrive and prosper will be deeply impaired, and we will suffer unimaginable losses. We already see changes in our local weather, and the messages we receive in meditation, in prayer, and in dreams are telling us the same thing.

Religious leaders of all traditions have a special responsibility to take the lead on this issue, because an effective response requires us to change, not just a few aspects of our technology, but our way of thinking.

For whether we are Pagans, Christians, or atheists, there is a deep belief shared by all in our post-modern world, a kind of meta-story that tells us that we have transcended nature’s limitations, and are no longer bound by her limits. I may resist that story—but here I sit writing on the internet, able to communicate instantly across the world. We have indeed pushed beyond so many of the limits that nature posed to past generations—yet we are also part of the natural world, and ultimately, must respect its limits and its laws.

Climate change calls us to become humble—a virtue most religions preach and a word which has the same roots as humus. We must literally return to earth, let go of our hubris and pride, and begin to honor and respect those things that sustain our lives.

When we do, when we work within nature and take natural systems as our teacher and model, we also find strong allies in some of the most humble creatures. To heal toxic soil, to restore fertility, to break down pathogens, bacteria and fungi are powerful helpers. The sun, the wind, falling water and moving tides can generate energy. Nature gives us all that we need, and more, to provide lives of abundance, balance, and beauty for all—but She does not give us enough to waste or to satisfy endless greed or addictive need.

Right now, we still have hope. But we nearly have reached the end of the window of time in which we can act effectively to mitigate the losses climate change will bring. Whether you believe, as Pagans do, that the earth is sacred, or whether you see it as God’s creation, or out of the simple wish for survival, for us and future generations, we must act now to make climate change a top priority.