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Politics

Bishops lead Christian march to The Big One climate protest outside Parliament

by Premier Journalist

A coalition of Christian climate campaign groups is calling on Christians to back their demands for urgent action on the climate emergency. They are joining other protestors at the Big One event in Westminster over the weekend to press for an exit from the fossil-fuel based economy.

“The Church has a proud history of standing up against injustice and once again we need to see Christians calling on the Government to take decisive action”, commented former Archbishop of York and Chair of Christian Aid, John Sentamu. 

Lord Sentamu is joining church leaders and a number of bishops who are praying at the No Faith In Fossil Fuels Service at St John’s Church Waterloo in central London. A march will then take them past the headquarters of Shell oil as they head to Parliament to join The Big One protest.

“Climate change is the most insidious and brutally indiscriminate force of our time. The people suffering the most have done the least to cause it”, Lord Sentamu continued. 

“That is why continuing to search for new sources of fossil fuels, despite explicit warnings against this from the International Energy Agency, is such an offence against humanity.  If we want to limit climate suffering we have to leave fossil fuels in the ground,” he added. 

Backed by groups such as Tearfund, Christian Aid, CAFOD, The Salvation Army and Christian Climate Action, organisers of The Big One expect it to be one of the biggest UK climate protests yet.

According to Tearfund’s Director of Advocacy, Ruth Valerio, the protest will be peaceful – with family-friendly activities:

“The aim of this weekend isn't public disruption. But it's to encourage mass engagement to show the UK Government that there is popular support for urgent and radical action on climate change.”

Organisers are pointing to the 2021 statement by the International Energy Agency that exploitation and development of new oil and gas fields must stop if the world is to stay within safe limits of global heating. Despite the warning, all major oil companies are continuing to exploit new fossil fuel reserves.

“Please pray that the UK Government listens to the thousands of people who are speaking out this weekend”, added Ruth Valerio.

“There is no room for new fossil fuels at home or abroad. And so we need the government to take urgent and radical action, so pray that the government listens and acts.”

 

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