Ecumenical leaders urge G20 to take urgent climate action

In a letter to G20 leaders, heads of Christian organisations which represent half a billion Christians in over 100 countries, have called for “deep-seated transformations towards net-zero economies by the middle of the century, within a framework of justice and solidarity.”

“Many of our congregations are already experiencing devastating and intensifying climate impacts and many are also responding with concrete actions and proposals. Unless a radical change is made to the current economic model, the goals of the Paris Agreement will not be met, and the climate crisis will not be averted,” stated the leaders of Council for World Mission (CWM), the World Council of Churches (WCC), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) and the World Methodist Council (WMC).

Attributing the climate emergency to “the current development model and ideology that is founded upon fossil fuel-driven economic growth”, they offered five proposals in their letter to G20 leaders who are meeting ahead of the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow to deliberate on the theme of “People, Planet and Prosperity”.

Among these proposals were debt cancellation for indebted, climate disaster-stricken countries as this would free up resources for them to transition to a decarbonised economy; progressive carbon and pollution taxes at various levels; and to invest heavily in climate protection and the restoration of ecosystems.

“In particular, we must privilege such areas as agro-ecology, reforestation and community-based renewable energy systems in our COVID-19 recovery strategies and longer-term plans,” the letter reads.

Download the full letter at https://www.cwmission.org/ecumenical-leaders-urge-g20-to-take-urgent-climate-action/ https://www.cwmission.org/ecumenical-leaders-urge-g20-to-take-urgent-climate-action/