It looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lorna Gold are becoming regular fixtures on the international climate circuit!
Fresh from their encounter at last October’s “Raising Hope” gathering in Castel Gandolfo, Lorna and Arnold met again this week at the “Austrian World Summit” in Vienna, where world leaders, innovators, activists and faith representatives came together under the theme “We Are Unstoppable.”
While Arnold was rallying participants to continue the mission to “terminate pollution” and reminding everyone that “the clean energy revolution is moving forward. It is unstoppable,” Lorna was contributing to the session “Purpose and Planet: How Spirituality Drives Climate Action.”
There she joined Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, Najma Mohamed and Richard Gere in a rich conversation about how faith can inspire the courage, values and commitment needed to care for our common home.
One of the highlights of the Summit was the message from Pope Leo XIV, who reminded participants that “faith, hope and charity are essential in responding to the climate crisis”. In a world where environmental news can often leave people feeling discouraged, his message was a welcome reminder that hope is not wishful thinking—it is a force that inspires action.
It is encouraging to see the growing collaboration between faith communities and climate leaders. From Castel Gandolfo to Vienna, there is a growing awareness that solving the climate crisis requires not only technology and policy, but also a change of heart and a renewed sense of our responsibility towards one another and the planet.