Pedro Walpole SJ Asia and the Pacific comprise diverse geographical biomes, from Himalaya, the Ganges on through the Indian sub-continent, the Mekong basin and connected lands, on to the tropical forests and waters of archipelagos, islands, and atolls that are all intricately woven into the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Pacific, one third of the planet’s surface, is the largest climate determinant on Earth. Asia and the Pacific share a common image in the ‘River Above’– the Pacific Ocean is the life, the river of Asia feeding all rivers, seasons and lives. The surface area and ocean currents absorb energy and generate thermals and other air flows forming the weather patterns and events while sustaining their movement westward. This rich diversity is gravely threatened. Recent and growing changes in the ocean due to climate change are driving the extreme weather events and sea level rise, increasing the vulnerability of the people and lands. In this context a right to a stable climate is being defined. Peoples, forests and oceans are intricately linked Over 451 million Asians live in or around tropical forests and savannahs, and of them 84 million live in extreme poverty. The Church is a minority In the
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