Earlier this week, leaders from diverse faith traditions and communities launched a Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change. [1] The statement represents a convergence of Canadian faith-based traditions around a common conviction that climate change is an ethical and moral issue that requires greater governmental action, both domestically and globally.

The statement aims to strategically pressure the Canadian government as it prepares for the upcoming United Nations’ negotiations on climate change in Durban, South Africa (COP17[2]). Based on the ‘spiritual deficit’ and individualism witnessed within society, communities of faith are reasserting the messages of their respective sacred texts to live in harmony with the earth and be good stewards of creation.  As such, faith communities call upon the Canadian government to do the following during the upcoming negotiations in South Africa:

• sign and commit to a newly negotiated fair, ambitious and binding (FAB) deal that respects international climate science
• commit to national carbon emissions targets and a comprehensive and ecologically sustainable national energy policy
• aid in the further design and implementation of a Green Climate Fund, managed by the United Nations, for adaptation and mitigation purposes.

These demands mirror and support similar statements from the Global South, such as the Pan-African Interfaith Consultation on Climate Justice and Sustainable Peace in Africa, released in June 2011. The signatories identify the climate crisis as one that is based on justice, equity and respecting the debt and responsibilities owed to the Global South by Global North countries. To paraphrase the Archbishop of Canterbury in his address at COP15, the preferential option for the poor and the preferential option for the earth are the same.

As a signatory and co-author of the statement, the Anglican Church of Canada remains committed in its efforts to combat the climate crisis, through its work as identified in Resolution A-180-R1. The Greening Anglican Spaces (GAS) task force continues to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to educate and empower Anglicans, and members of all faith communities in Canada, to take greater political action and to reduce the carbon footprint of their pastoral activities.

Over the coming months, GAS will continue to develop educational and liturgical resources to be used in congregations across the country, as a compliment to the green audits.

[1]  Pour voir le document en français, cliquez ici: ‘Un Appel interreligieux canadien au leadership et à l’action pour la justice climatique' [pdfl]

[2]  the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Article by: Cameron Gray, Anglican Communion Environmental Network