Religious Leaders Urge Climate Action
| By Nelson Bock - Sep 15th, 2009 at 5:49 pm EDT |
| Also listed in: CO. Community Leaders | Denver County | Faith Progressives | Smart Energy |
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Categories: Peace & Social Justice, Economic Fairness & Security, Environment / Conservation, Smart Energy Policy, Effective & Ethical Government, Budget Priorities, Religion
Categories: Peace & Social Justice, Economic Fairness & Security, Environment / Conservation, Smart Energy Policy, Effective & Ethical Government, Budget Priorities, Religion
Religious Leaders Urge Action on Climate Change, Clean Energy Jobs
As leaders from Colorado’s faith communities, we call for dramatic action to avert the most drastic effects of global climate change as one of the dominant moral imperatives of our time.
The earth, our home, is a gift—we did not create it or earn it, and we do not own it, but we do have a sacred responsibility to be good stewards of that gift. The earth's resources are finite, and with our technological prowess we have the ability to upset the ecological balance which supports our life on this earth. We must be attentive to the impacts of our activity on the environment, and not foolishly pretend that we are immune from those impacts.
We believe that our planet is in great peril from the threat of climate change. We believe it is real, and that it is to a significant extent human-induced. We accept the vast body of scientific evidence which forecasts severe consequences for the Earth and all its inhabitants—including rising sea levels, increased drought and desertification, more frequent and more severe extreme weather events, ocean acidification, new disease epidemics, massive population relocation and attendant conflicts-- if we fail to act. Our thirst to consume the earth's natural resources, and our reliance on old energy sources which emit greenhouse gases, has led us to a both a spiritual and environmental crisis. In view of this, for us as spiritual leaders to remain silent would be an abdication of our responsibilities.
Of major concern to us is that those harmed soonest and most directly by the effects of climate change are the poor, who do not possess resources to adapt or relocate. Our religious traditions call us to serve and protect our neighbors, the poor, and the vulnerable, but we have a self-interest in doing so, as well. We cannot expect to safeguard our own prosperity and security if we ignore or neglect the plight of others around the world. In regions of the world where effects of climate change are already being experienced in the form of extreme weather, flooding, droughts, and famine, the threat of political destabilization is dramatically increased. According to a recent Pentagon report, it is predicted that by 2025, 40 percent of the world’s population will be living in countries that will be affected by extreme drought, leading to more refugee situations and internal conflicts as people are forced to fight for dwindling resources such as water and arable land,
We believe the United States—the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the world-- has a special responsibility as well as the ability to help lead the way towards solutions to this global problem. We can take the lead in the development and utilization of new clean energy technologies, which then can also be shared with poorer, growing neighbor nations. We can ALL prosper and benefit from the “new energy economy”. We can also take a leadership role in international efforts to address greenhouse gas emission and climate change, but we must first lead by example.,
While the legislation passed by the US House of Representatives in June is a milestone in efforts to mitigate climate change, we would prefer more dramatic action in a few crucial areas, including higher targets for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; auctioning of emission permits with the resultant revenue invested in clean energy technology, jobs, and impact mitigation for the poor; and strengthening EPA authority to regulated power-plant emissions.
We urge our Senators to help pass strong, comprehensive clean energy jobs legislation prior to the International Climate Change Conference scheduled to be held in Copenhagen this December.
We also pledge to do our part to change the way our own communities’ behaviors contribute to the problem of climate change, to be more faithful stewards of God's creation and thus protect all of God’s children.
Rev. Nelson Bock, Executive Director, Colorado Interfaith Power and Light
Rev. Peter Sawtell, Executive Director, Eco-Justice Ministries
Rev. Dr. Jim Ryan, Executive Director, Colorado Council of Churches
Rev. Jann Halloran Chair, Justice Commission, Colorado Council of Churches
Rev. Mark Meeks, Advisory Board, Colorado Interfaith Power and Light,
Green Jobs Interfaith Coalition
Rev. Nathan Woodliff-Stanley, Chair Public Policy Commission, Interfaith Alliance of Colorado
Rev. Ambrose Carroll, Coordinator, Green Jobs Interfaith Coalition
Rabbi Stephen Booth-Nadav, Aytz Chaim/Tree of Life, Colorao Interfaith Power and Light
As leaders from Colorado’s faith communities, we call for dramatic action to avert the most drastic effects of global climate change as one of the dominant moral imperatives of our time.
The earth, our home, is a gift—we did not create it or earn it, and we do not own it, but we do have a sacred responsibility to be good stewards of that gift. The earth's resources are finite, and with our technological prowess we have the ability to upset the ecological balance which supports our life on this earth. We must be attentive to the impacts of our activity on the environment, and not foolishly pretend that we are immune from those impacts.
We believe that our planet is in great peril from the threat of climate change. We believe it is real, and that it is to a significant extent human-induced. We accept the vast body of scientific evidence which forecasts severe consequences for the Earth and all its inhabitants—including rising sea levels, increased drought and desertification, more frequent and more severe extreme weather events, ocean acidification, new disease epidemics, massive population relocation and attendant conflicts-- if we fail to act. Our thirst to consume the earth's natural resources, and our reliance on old energy sources which emit greenhouse gases, has led us to a both a spiritual and environmental crisis. In view of this, for us as spiritual leaders to remain silent would be an abdication of our responsibilities.
Of major concern to us is that those harmed soonest and most directly by the effects of climate change are the poor, who do not possess resources to adapt or relocate. Our religious traditions call us to serve and protect our neighbors, the poor, and the vulnerable, but we have a self-interest in doing so, as well. We cannot expect to safeguard our own prosperity and security if we ignore or neglect the plight of others around the world. In regions of the world where effects of climate change are already being experienced in the form of extreme weather, flooding, droughts, and famine, the threat of political destabilization is dramatically increased. According to a recent Pentagon report, it is predicted that by 2025, 40 percent of the world’s population will be living in countries that will be affected by extreme drought, leading to more refugee situations and internal conflicts as people are forced to fight for dwindling resources such as water and arable land,
We believe the United States—the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the world-- has a special responsibility as well as the ability to help lead the way towards solutions to this global problem. We can take the lead in the development and utilization of new clean energy technologies, which then can also be shared with poorer, growing neighbor nations. We can ALL prosper and benefit from the “new energy economy”. We can also take a leadership role in international efforts to address greenhouse gas emission and climate change, but we must first lead by example.,
While the legislation passed by the US House of Representatives in June is a milestone in efforts to mitigate climate change, we would prefer more dramatic action in a few crucial areas, including higher targets for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; auctioning of emission permits with the resultant revenue invested in clean energy technology, jobs, and impact mitigation for the poor; and strengthening EPA authority to regulated power-plant emissions.
We urge our Senators to help pass strong, comprehensive clean energy jobs legislation prior to the International Climate Change Conference scheduled to be held in Copenhagen this December.
We also pledge to do our part to change the way our own communities’ behaviors contribute to the problem of climate change, to be more faithful stewards of God's creation and thus protect all of God’s children.
Rev. Nelson Bock, Executive Director, Colorado Interfaith Power and Light
Rev. Peter Sawtell, Executive Director, Eco-Justice Ministries
Rev. Dr. Jim Ryan, Executive Director, Colorado Council of Churches
Rev. Jann Halloran Chair, Justice Commission, Colorado Council of Churches
Rev. Mark Meeks, Advisory Board, Colorado Interfaith Power and Light,
Green Jobs Interfaith Coalition
Rev. Nathan Woodliff-Stanley, Chair Public Policy Commission, Interfaith Alliance of Colorado
Rev. Ambrose Carroll, Coordinator, Green Jobs Interfaith Coalition
Rabbi Stephen Booth-Nadav, Aytz Chaim/Tree of Life, Colorao Interfaith Power and Light
