Representatives of Christian churches were among religious leaders who this week called for Australia to do its “fair share” to address climate change, saying that the country’s “addiction” to fossil fuels is “no longer morally justified”.
CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE AGENDA: The delegation of religious leaders meets with Environment Minister Greg Hunt (centre) in Canberra.
In an open letter, the leaders declared climate change a “moral issue” and said that “to seek maximum individual or national advantage in the face of global warming is to increase the costs to those least advantaged in the human family as well as today’s young people.”
“Australia’s addiction to fossil fuels, both for domestic consumption and export earnings, is no longer morally justified and must be wound back as soon as possible,” they wrote. “It makes no ethical, or even economic, sense to take action on climate change only if others do so.”
The letter called on the federal government to retain existing legislation which is “assisting the transition to a low carbon economy” and said the country must do its “fair share” by setting ambitious targets for reducing emissions and the use of renewable energy, and by contributing “far greater amounts to adaption financing for developing countries”.
Signatories to the document, which was put together under the coordination of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC) group, include Sr Annette Cunliffe, president of Catholic Religious Australia, Rev Professor Andrew Dutney, president of the Uniting Church Assembly, Dr Beth Heyde, chair of the Public Affairs Commission of the Anglican Church of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, Grand Mufti of Australia, and Professor Nihal Agar, chair of the Hindu Council of Australia.
Representatives of the group met with Environment Minister Greg Hunt, Shadow Minister Mark Butler and some 40 other MPs in Canberra this week. They also held a prayer vigil outside the Minerals Council of Australia’s headquarters and delivered a copy of the letter to the council’s CEO.
Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins, a spokesperson for the group, said Australia must “make a choice”.
“We could lead the world in renewable power generation and thus choose a path which protects the ecosystems which support life,” he said. “Or we could continue our reliance on coal for our own short-term self-interest and condemn many millions of the world’s poor and our own children and grandchildren to an unthinkable future.”
