Talking to HuffPostLive at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Friday, former Irish President Mary Robinson urged leaders and people around the world to combat climate change by taking better care of the planet we're inhabiting.
"We only have one earth, one human home," Robinson said. "We need to nurture it."
Robinson noted that climate change is already affecting vulnerable societies around the world, and that climate disasters are undermining both economic development and food security. As a result, climate factors must be integrated into sustainable development goals and there needs to be a limit to what we can emit, she argued.
"The message of Davos is 'we can," she said.
The former president recognized, however, that the fossil-fuel lobby is likely to resist strong measures against high emissions, adding that the sector has supported bad research that has muddied the field.
But Robinson said she believes that people have recognized that climate events are a real threat, and that action is needed to prevent even more dramatic consequences in the future.
"People care about their children and grandchildren," she said.
Watch the full interview with Mary Robinson above and take a look at the liveblog for more conversations from Davos.