Press Release: Churches call MPs to back the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill
Last week, churches across the UK demonstrated their support for the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill by taking part in a nationwide banner drop and twitter storm.
Last Friday (26 March), the date of the (now postponed) Second Reading of the Bill in parliament, brightly coloured banners were dropped from church buildings calling on MPs to ‘Back the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill’. Tweets sharing banner images made #CEEBill trend at number one on Twitter for UK Politics.
Drafted by scientists, legal experts, ecological economists and environmentalists, the Bill is designed to reverse climate and ecological breakdown. It asks the UK Government to take responsibility for our fair share of greenhouse gas emissions, to actively restore biodiverse habitats in the UK and to reduce damage to the environment caused by the production, transportation and disposal of the goods we consume. Tabled by Caroline Lucas of the Green Party, the Bill has support of over 100 MPs in 8 political parties, representing all parts of the UK.
Revd Tamsin Merchant of St Mary’s, Hornsey Rise, London, said, ‘It is time for the Government to act and seek to implement change to protect this amazing Earth, which God has made. Our current situation shows us how we must act now and not delay.’ Green Christian member Poppy Pickard, who attends St Mary’s, said, ‘It is so important that the Government takes this on board; there is no time to lose. We must do all that we possibly can to protect God’s wonderful creation from abuse.’
Speaking at Lady Saint Mary’s Church, Wareham, Revd Hilary Bond said, ‘The bright yellow banner across the front of our church is an attempt to encourage our Government to actually fulfil the promises that they have already made in respect of taking care of the Earth that we as Christians believe that God made and gave to us to look after. The banner is a statement that our church believes taking care of the natural environment not only matters, but is an integral part of the expression of our Christian faith.’
The parishes of St Paul’s Clifton and Cotham were the originators of a motion that led to the Diocese of Bristol declaring a Climate Emergency and urging the General Synod of the Church of England to commit to being carbon neutral by 2030. Revd David Stephenson said, ‘We recognise that we need to continue to take meaningful action ourselves and urge others, and especially government, to meaningful action. We believe that the CEE Bill provides a framework for this kind of action and would enable the UK Government to take a genuine lead as hosts of the COP26 conference. The time has to be now to halt the destruction of ecosystems and irreversible climate change through global warming.’
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Comments on "Press Release: Churches call MPs to back the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill"
O J ffield:
Thank you ALL for uniting with Christ, the Risen Lord and Leader of all of Goodwill. We each recognise that we are called into One Body of Love and Care. Let us care better for His Creation, Our Common Home. Let us sit down with those who seem slow to lead on these issues; and, understand their reservations and find a way to go forward together... Thank you Passionists and Columbans and all....Let us pray earnestly as we celebrate Easter Ozzie
O J ffield:
Thank you ALL for uniting with Christ, the Risen Lord and Leader of all of Goodwill. We must each recognise that we are called into One Body of Love and Care. Let us care better for His Creation, Our Common Home. Let us sit down with those who seem slow to lead and understand their reservations and find a way to go forward together... Thank you Passionists and Columbans and all....Let us pray earnestly as we celebrate Easter Ozzie
Stephen Johnson:
Why weren't the Nation's Cathedrals, particularly Westminster and Canterbury, not taking part and dropping their banners. Why isn't the C of E and the Catholic Church leading the way on this campaign as a matter of the utmost urgency. Has Justin Welby made any comment or his Catholic equivalent? Why is it left to 'extraordinary' parishioners and their overworked vicars often caring for several churches?God knows!
Iain Climie:
If anyone thinks climate change is still not happening can I point to Arctic heatwaves, Australian fires, melting ice caps and warming & acidifying seas; see the following too for example: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/25/feeling-the-heat-over-arctic-sea-iceIf someone more intelligently asked what would happen if there were another VEI 7 event (like Tambora in 1815 which caused global temperatures to fall by 3 deg C so 1816 was described as "The Year without a Summer") please note that many ideas like reducing waste, restoring fish stocks, silviculture / silvopasture, combining conservation with careful use, fewer cash crops and reducing the impact per head (& probably numbers) of conventional livestock make sense regardless of the nature, extent, direction and cause of climate change while also covering loss of a major food crop to disease. I rather despair that these win-win options have been ignored for decades while people bickered about who was right.
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