The Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders (2016) outlines religious leaders and faith communities positive judgement of the adopted Paris Agreement and urges for its prompt signature and ratification by governments so that it can come into force as soon as possible. It also insists that there is a significant increase in the current levels of ambition relating to emission reductions, financial flows, adaptation, loss and damage and a swift phase out of fossil fuel subsidies – so as to keep temperatures within reach of 1.5C.
The Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders was handed over by a young faith leader, surrounded by faith leaders to H.E. Mogens Lykketoft, President of the UN General Assembly at the UN Church Centre, April 18th 2016. Credit. Paul Hunt/ WCC
Add your name & support to the Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders
Individuals and Groups: Add your name, along with religious leaders and people of faith from around the world was handed over by eminent religious leaders to the President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark on 18th April 2016 at an official event in New York.
Go here to add your name and sign the Interfaith Statement on Climate Change
The Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders (2016) outlines religious leaders and faith communities positive judgement of the adopted Paris Agreement and urges for its prompt signature and ratification by governments so that it can come into force as soon as possible. It also insists that there is a significant increase in the current levels of ambition relating to emission reductions, financial flows, adaptation, loss and damage and a swift phase out of fossil fuel subsidies – so as to keep temperatures within reach of 1.5C.
The Statement also serves to renew the strong commitment of the faith community to remain active in defining the moral responsibility to care for the Earth and encourages it own communities to reduce emissions and to divest and reinvest in renewables.
Six Key Points within the Interfaith Climate Change Statement:
- Urge governments to rapidly sign, ratify and implement the Paris Agreement, and to increase pledges to reduce emissions in line with keeping the global temperature rise to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels;
- Insist on rapid emissions reduction and peaking by 2020, in order to keep the 1.5C goal within reach;
- Strongly advocate for greater flows of finance, especially for adaptation and loss and damage;
- Urge the swift phase out of all fossil fuel subsidies and a transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050;
- Encourage faith communities to reduce emissions in their homes, workplaces and centres of worship and to support and stand in solidarity with communities already impacted by climate change; and
- Call for fossil fuel divestment and reinvestment in renewables and low carbon solutions, including within our own communities, and/or by engaging companies on climate change.
Read the full statement here. See the PDF with signatures here
See the Simplified Chinese translation here. See the Traditional Chinese here
See the French translation here
See the Hindi translation here
See the Italian translation here
See the Spanish translation here
Go here to add your name and sign the Interfaith Statement on Climate Change
