THE former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Williams called for urgent motion to deal with climate change, as a whole bunch of Christians took part in a ten-day, 240-hour vigil outside the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday.
Participants within the “No Faith In Fossil Fuels” vigil, which can run until next Saturday, are calling on the Government to stop issuing recent licences for fossil-fuel exploration in UK waters (News, 4 August 2023).
Despite its commitment on the COP28 climate summit in Dubai to a transition away from fossil fuels this decade, the Government has recently issued licences to drill for oil and gas in 24 recent areas within the North Sea. The International Energy Agency has urged that, to stop further rises in global temperatures, no new-fossil fuel reserves must be exploited.
Last week, the EU’s science service confirmed that, for the primary time, global warming had exceeded 1.5°C across a complete 12 months.
The director of worldwide advocacy on the charity Tearfund, Dr Ruth Valerio, said: “From thousands and thousands of individuals enduring the East Africa hunger crisis to a deadly cyclone in Malawi, this 12 months, vulnerable communities have been confronted by the terrifying reality of life in a 1.5°C world.
“Every fraction of a level counts and might make the difference between life and death for a lot of thousands and thousands of individuals; so every motion to limit warming have to be taken. We need governments to stop fuelling the climate crisis with fossil fuels and put money into a fairer and safer future.
“People living in a number of the poorest parts of the world are already attempting to adapt to an unpredictable climate. Solutions do exist, but the cash must follow. It’s time for wealthy nations to stump up the money owed to front-line communities.”
Tearfund is among the many organisations supporting the vigil, as are Christian Aid, A Rocha UK, the Salvation Army, Operation Noah, and Christian Climate Action.
Speaking before the vigil on Wednesday, Lord Williams said: “Every day that passes increases the urgency of motion on the climate crisis, for the sake of our whole human family. In Lent, Christians keep in mind that they’re a part of creation, not lords of creation, and that their life and salvation depends upon being willing to show away from pride, violence, and greed with the intention to receive what God longs to present to all. This vigil calls us to renew that vision and reply to that invitation.”
The vigil organisers are also calling for a policy of “Polluters pay” for the world’s biggest polluters, and for the UK to extend its contribution to the recently created Loss and Damage Fund.
Bishops and priests are among the many Christians who’ve taken, or were as a result of take, part within the vigil, including the Bishop of Kingston, the Rt Revd Martin Gainsborough; the Bishop of Reading, the Rt Revd Olivia Graham; and the General Secretary of Churches Together in England, the Pentecostalist Bishop Mike Royal.
He said: “Climate change . . . impacts the poorest countries essentially the most. Climate justice is racial justice and that’s why we’ll be supporting the Lent Vigil.”
The vigil is as a result of conclude with a service outside Downing Street. Sir Jonathon Porritt, a founding director of Forum for the Future and a patron of the organisation Green Christian, said: “So many proceed to place their faith within the old world of limitless economic growth powered by fossil fuels. The future will be so way more positive than this — but provided that people of religion step up now and bear witness, in motion, to a greater truth based on justice, compassion and private responsibility. Please support the vigil.”
Christian campaigners have been lobbying charities, churches, and organisations to stop banking with Barclays, owing to its investments in fossil fuels (News, 2 February). Last week, the bank announced that it had updated its energy-funding policy and would not provide “direct” finance to recent oil and gas projects.
Christian Climate Action responded in an announcement, nevertheless, that this was not enough. “Cutting out funding for ‘recent fossil fuel projects’ affects lower than 10 per cent of the cash going to fossil fuels. It doesn’t change the billions Barclays is continuous to funnel into the likes of Shell, Exxon and Total.”
Climate-friendly funerals considered. One third of respondents in a UK survey commissioned by the insurers Legal and General would consider the environment when planning their funeral.
In a survey of 2000 people, conducted in November, 40 per cent of the respondents said that they were aware of the environmental impact of traditional funeral practices resembling burial and cremation, while 30 per cent indicated that climate concerns would play a component of their alternative of funeral. This rose to 43 per cent amongst 16- to 24-year-olds.
Most respondents (54 per cent) said that they were open to aquamation (News, 7 July 2023), or alkaline hydrolysis, by which the body is placed in a chamber with potassium hydroxide to decompose without producing harmful emissions.
The study also found that just about one quarter of 16- to 24-year-olds (24 per cent), compared with just 12 per cent of over-55s, said that religion or culture would “strongly influence” their very own funeral arrangements.
Joe Ware is Senior Climate Journalist at Christian Aid.
