The pope has written in his encyclical of the urgent need to reduce climate change gases. On the 17th June the Lambeth Declaration on Climate Change – signed by representatives of the Church of England, Muslims, Sikhs, the Catholic Church in England and Wales, the Methodist Conference and Jewish communities – spoke of the same urgent need for action.
In the views of these social leaders, the scientific evidence that climate change is exacerbated by human activity is utterly compelling and draws on a deeper realisation that the effects of climate change go beyond political and spatial constructs. The declaration proceeds to identify the need to ensure that anthropogenic climate change does not create a rise in global temperatures of greater than 2 degrees, the widely held benchmark of severe climate change.
The cohesion of intent from political, social and religious leaders is necessary for effective action and these vocal demonstrations continue to support international progress toward stricter emissions reduction targets.