Crossroads Uniting Church Werribee and Hoppers Crossing Uniting Church are urging national and global leaders to take action on climate change.
In the lead-up to the United Nations Climate Summit (COP26) next month, the local churches are calling for climate action by 2030 – starting now.
If you pass by Crossroads Uniting Church Werribee or Hoppers Crossing Uniting Church, you will see large banners displayed outside the buildings, calling for: “Bold climate action by 2030 starting now”.
Another says: “Climate Emergency, We must act now. We’re in this together”.
The churches’ climate spokesperson, Rob Bradley, said that climate change “is a huge justice issue”.
“Australia is the largest emitter per capita of greenhouse emissions. It is the developed (rich) nations who have brought about this climate crisis by burning fossil fuels but it is the poorest nations who stand to be the worst affected,” he said.
“Climate change is already resulting in wildfires worldwide, extreme weather events and threatening to collapse ecosystems including the Great Barrier Reef.
“It will affect all of us, but currently we have the ability and resources to take meaningful action that would drastically reduce our greenhouse emissions.”
Mr Bradley said the local churches were joining with people of faith across Australia and worldwide in the lead-up to the COP26 Climate Conference in November.
“Bishop Philip Huggins has described the United Nations COP26 climate talks as possibly, the ‘last chance to save our planet’,” Mr Bradley said.
“He sent a strongly worded letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
“In it, he joined those who are calling on Mr Morrison to take leadership by announcing more ambitious emissions reduction targets well ahead of the summit in November.
“We need significant reductions by 2030 and not the far-off date of 2050.”
