Faith groups were among those involved at last Saturday’s Climate marches through London, Edinburgh and around 40 other UK cities. Campaigners urged world leaders meeting at the COP27 UN Climate Conference in Egypt, which ends on 18 November, to do more to address the climate crisis. It was part of a Global Day of Action initiated by the African climate movement.
Around 7,000 people in London began protests outside the offices of fossil fuel giant Shell. Before that faith groups gathered at nearby St John’s Church in Waterloo to pray for the success of COP27. “No more fossil fuels - AMEN”, “Deeds Not Words”, “Quakers for Climate Justice” were among the banners of the faith bloc. Agencies represented included Cafod, Christian Aid, Tearfund, A Rocha plus Westminster Justice and Peace Commission and Christian Climate Action. A contingent from Southwark Anglican diocese and the Faith for Climate Network displayed, “Keep it in Ground”, referring to fossil fuels.
Christians joined a march in Edinburgh, starting at St Andrew”s Square and finishing at the Scottish Parliament. Among them were members of Justice and Peace Scotland, urging that the call of Laudato Si’ is heeded: to hear the “Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor”. The march had six stopping points where various demands for climate justice were highlighted, including a halt to new oil and gas exploration and rising energy bills. At Holyrood, organisers protested the cost of living crisis.
Cafod worker Simon Giarchi reported an “amazing turnout” at the Plymouth march and rally for the south-west. “Great to see some of Cafod and Plymouth Diocese’s campaigners in action,” he said. At least 500 came out in Plymouth and Bristol for loud and lively protests with banners. Faith groups in Worcester presented a letter to the mayor, calling for more action on net-zero policies and support for loss and damage.
On Monday, Christian Climate Action held protests at more than 100 Barclays banks across UK. The Plymouth protest, whose spokesperson was Baptist Revd Michael Shaw, called for Barclays “to clean up their act and... switch to renewable energy.”
The Joint Public Issues Team – a partnership between the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church – has run a programme of prayer for the success of COP27. On 11 November the prayer was “for greater consistency from the UK government on its net zero approach, so that decarbonisation can happen more effectively”.
On 22 November Operation Noah, the ecumenical climate charity, is launching its new report online, Church Investment in Climate Solutions. “As well as divesting from fossil fuel producers, it is vital for churches to increase investment in climate solutions such as renewable energy and energy efficiency, which reduce the demand for fossil fuels,” said Operation Noah.
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