Bishop calls for faster action on climate change

The Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, the Church of England’s lead bishop on the environment, signed a petition delivered to the President of the UN General Assembly, HE Mogens Lykketoft.

The petition, which was handed in last week, urged rapid implementation of the Paris Agreement, which was adopted by 195 countries in December.

This Agreement includes urgent emission reductions to keep the aim of a global temperature rise limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels within reach.

The Rt Revd Holtam said: “The Paris Agreement marked a major step in the whole planet uniting to deal with climate change – a threat to every country in the world.

“Paris provided us with a framework. It is vital that concrete steps follow, and follow soon.

“Faith leaders were particularly important in creating the climate of public opinion which allowed such an agreement with carbon-cutting targets as ambitious as those agreed at Paris to be reached. Faith leaders will be equally important in ensuring what was agreed is implemented as robustly as we need.

“With evidence building that the first three years of this month were the hottest on record, the science is clear that we need urgent action to curb emissions.

“Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist leaders have all signed the petition.

“These include the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences, Cardinal Sanchez Sorondo, and the Anglican Communion’s Environment Lead, the Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town.

“It is a privilege and honour to add my voice and that of the Church of England to theirs.”

The petition strongly advocates the greater flows of finance, particularly for adaptation and loss and damage. It also calls for the swift phase out of all fossil fuel subsidies and transition from fossil fuels to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050.

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