Our Churches are committed to caring for creation and to tackling climate change. We lament the increasing frequency and severity of devastating hurricanes, flooding and droughts, and the impact they are having on people.
Record temperatures and low rainfall have impaired food security, livelihoods, and energy production in many regions of the world. In July 2024, global temperatures reached unprecedented levels.[1]
COP29 is an opportunity for governments to coordinate action to tackle greenhouse gas emissions. They must make pledges with purpose and integrity to avert climate-related suffering for this and future generations.
Developing nations will need resources for adaptation and to gain equitable access to the technology for low-carbon development. This will require new sources of finance. We support the call for debt relief for low-income countries being made by Christian Aid and other agencies.[2]
We join with faith communities across the world in calling for substantial additional funding for the Loss and Damage fund. We support the principle that polluters should pay for loss and damage. We want to see progress at Baku on new taxes and other sources of revenue to resource global action.
In all this, UK leadership is vital. In 2021, COP26 in Glasgow was a significant moment even though the summit failed to gain consensus in some important respects. We urge our government to show leadership again through a renewed commitment to the framework established in Paris in 2015 on reducing emissions.
As church communities in the UK and across the globe we are committed to prayerful action. We need COP29 to deliver concrete actions to support the pledges that have been made already and to secure new commitments for the good of all people and the planet.
Revd Philip Brooks Deputy General Secretary (Mission), United Reformed Church
Revd Helen Cameron President of the Conference of the Methodist Church
Carolyn Godfrey Vice-President of the Conference of the Methodist Church
Revd Lynn Green General Secretary, The Baptist Union of Great Britain
[1] https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/global-drought-threatens-food-supplies-and-energy-production-2024-10-02_en
[2] UK charities call on government to tackle climate breakdown and debt crises – Christian Aid | Mediacentre
