Faith leaders urge UK to continue its climate leadership
Quakers in Britain has joined an interfaith coalition calling on the UK government to step up international efforts to encourage the phasing out of fossil fuels.
More than two dozen faith leaders signed an open letter asking Ed Miliband, as Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero, to personally attend a landmark climate conference.
The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels to be held in Colombia later this month has wide support amongst climate leaders.
This includes small island states especially at risk from climate change, such as Fiji and Jamaica, as well as close European allies of the UK, such as Spain and Austria.
Several nations attending are major fossil fuel producers, including Colombia itself, as well as Canada, Brazil and Norway.
Opportunity to show climate leadership
“In light of the ongoing energy crisis, this conference is vital for developing energy security and access for the UK and our allies, and a key opportunity for the UK to demonstrate its climate leadership," the letter says.
Paul Parker, recording clerk for Quakers in Britain, is among the signatories who also include representatives of the Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, Anglican, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu communities.
It calls on the UK to commit its fair share of funding for a transition that is "fast, fair, and funded."
Ed Miliband himself observed last autumn that: “We are up against the march of time and massive global forces that would slow down or stop action.
“In the face of this opposition, multilateralism is our best hope."
The faith leaders wrote: “Your words encouraged us [...and] we encourage you to put them into action with fellow climate leaders in Santa Marta."
Signatories wrote: "It is love that compels us," adding “We must act quickly and phase out the production of fossil fuels, with justice and equity for those already assaulted by climate impacts."
The UK are planning to send a delegation and take part in the talks, but without ministers.
The signatories also request a meeting with civil servants and the special representative on climate to share faith community perspectives on the transition.