Interfaith push for net-zero UK

In a letter in the Daily Telegraph, faith leaders urge the UK government to set an emissions target of net zero by 2045.

Yarinacocha lagoon flooded, Peru. Serious flooding is made made worse by climate breakdown. Image: Diego Sanguinetti (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The text of the letter reads:

"The Government must take the opportunity created by yesterday's report from the Committee on Climate Change to commit to eliminating our country's contribution to global temperature rises.

The urgency and scale of action required necessitates a legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2045. Such a target demands a cross-governmental approach, and one that does not rely on offsets or outsourcing of carbon emissions to poorer nations – the very countries that are being hit hardest by climate change, despite having contributed least to the problem.

We readily recognise that this means changing our lifestyles and behaviours. Indeed, we welcome the benefits that will follow, including cleaner air and warmer homes.

Our country's faith communities have already begun to embrace these changes, with thousands of places of worship powered by renewable energy, and families committing to live simply and sustainably.

We now urge our politicians to show leadership of the magnitude demanded by the challenge that we face – and encourage them to consider the extraordinary legacy they could leave."

Signatories

Christian

  • Paul Parker – Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain
  • Andrea Adwoa Bittle – Clerk to General Meeting for Scotland, Religious Society of Friends
  • The Right Rev John Arnold – Roman Catholic Bishop of Salford; lead bishop on environmental affairs for the Catholic Church in England and Wales
  • The Right Rev Nick Holtam – Anglican Bishop of Salisbury; lead bishop on environmental affairs for the Church of England
  • The Most Rev John Davies – Archbishop of Wales
  • The Most Rev Leo Cushley JCD – Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh
  • The Right Rev Joseph Toal – Roman Catholic Bishop of Motherwell
  • The Right Rev Susan Brown – Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
  • Commissioner Anthony Cotterill – Leader of The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland
  • John Cross – Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland
  • Revd Michaela Youngson – President of the Conference of the Methodist Church
  • Bala Gnanapragasam – Vice President of the Conference of the Methodist Church

Jewish

  • Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen – Associate Rabbi, Manchester Reform Synagogue
  • Rabbi Naomi Goldman – Kol Chai Synagogue, Hatch End Reform Jewish Community
  • Rabbi Monique Mayer – Bristol and West Progressive Synagogue
  • Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers – Community Educator, The Movement for Reform Judaism
  • Rabbi Fabian Sborovsky – Chair, Assembly of Reform Rabbis and Cantors UK
  • Rabbi Aaron Goldstein – Chair, Conference of Liberal Rabbis and Cantors; Senior Rabbi, Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue
  • Rabbi Roderick Young – Member, Norwich Hebrew Congregation and Norwich Liberal Jewish Community
  • Rabbi Larry Tabick – Emeritus Rabbi, Shir Hayim Synagogue; Lecturer, Leo Baeck College
  • Rabbi Dr Jackie Tabick – Convenor of the Beit Din, The Movement for Reform Judaism
  • Rabbi Sandra Kviat – Crouch End Chavurah
  • Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg – Senior Rabbi, Masorti Judaism
  • Rabbi Dr Deborah Kahn-Harris – Principal, Leo Baeck College

Muslim

  • Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra – Imam

Buddhist

  • Jamie Cresswell – Vice-President, European Buddhist Union; Director, Centre for Applied Buddhism; Vice-President – European Council of Religious Leaders

Hindu

  • Gopal Patel – Director, The Bhumi Project

Push for action on climate breakdown