Faith leaders urge UK to show leadership as countries meet to discuss fossil fuel phaseout

Hundreds have gathered in central London today for Earth Day, including Christian Climate Action and the Laudato Si Movement, to call for ‘clean water, clean air and an end to fossil fuel expansion’.

Faith leaders have written to Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for energy security and net zero, to urge him to attend the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels which will be held in Santa Marta, Colombia from 24 to 29 April, and to agree to a roadmap for a just transition.

Bishop John Arnold, lead bishop for the environment for the Catholic bishops’ conference of England and Wales, has signed the letter along with chair of Faith for the Climate Revd Canon Giles Goddard, Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, and representatives of the Baptist, Methodist, United Reformed Churches, Quakers in Britain, Operation Noah, Christian Climate Action and Green Christian.

“In light of the ongoing energy crisis, this conference is vital for developing energy security and access for the UK and our allies, and a key opportunity for the UK to demonstrate its climate leadership,” the letter said.

It urged Miliband to ​convey a clear message of support from the UK to “make the most of this new multilateral movement”, including sending a signal of leadership by personally attending the high-level segment at the end of the conference​​. 

The letter also called him to work to agree a detailed roadmap for a “fair, fast, and funded” transition away from fossil fuels and to commit the UK’s fair share of funding for the transition.  ​​​ 

“​​​​​​​A just transition away from fossil fuels is very important to faith communities, and we would value a meeting with civil servants, and perhaps the Special Representative on Climate, to discuss our shared experiences and perspectives on the transition,” it said.

The conference has the support of climate leaders including the nations who signed the Belem Declaration on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, a statement made at the conclusion of COP30 on the next steps in the fight for climate justice. 

This includes small island states especially at risk from climate change, such as Fiji and Jamaica, as well as the UK’s European allies, including Spain and Austria. It also includes the co-host of COP31, Australia.

These countries have welcomed the Santa Marta Conference “as a platform to advance the dialogues to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels after COP30”. Several nations attending are major fossil fuel producers, including the host nation Colombia, as well as Canada, Brazil and Norway.

Canon Goddard said, “It’s really important that the UK continues its record of climate leadership by working with climate allies. In the face of a fossil fuel crisis, this conference is vital to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, and ensure that it is fast, fair and funded.

“Ed Miliband’s attendance would show the UK is serious about climate justice and wants to work together, especially with the countries most impacted by the climate crisis. As Ed said himself, ‘You can’t solve a fossil fuel crisis by doubling down on fossil fuels’. Santa Marta is a key opportunity to bring on ‘the era of clean energy security’.”

In an appendix to the letter, the faith leaders said, “To be good ​​carers ​of our common home, we must act quickly and phase out the production of fossil fuels. It is ​a ​moral imperative to protect those most in need and to uphold the​ rights of future generations​ ​​​and the whole earth​​​ ​​​​by employing renewable sources of energy.”

Meanwhile, hundreds have gathered in central London today for Earth Day, including Christian Climate Action and the Laudato Si Movement, to call for “clean water, clean air and an end to fossil fuel expansion”.

Sacred Earth Activism and Christian Climate Action held a ceremony of dedication to the earth in Parliament Square in order to show that “care for the natural world is not merely political, but sacred”.  

The truth about drilling in the North Sea

Parishes urged to lobby local councils on environmental stewardship ahead of elections

Stay updated — add us as a preferred news source on Google: