Put justice at the heart of climate talks, urge Bishops
Ahead of climate rallies this weekend, Church in Wales bishops are calling for justice for poorer nations to be at the heart of the COP27 summit outcome.
Wealthy countries have a “moral responsibility” to help those countries most in need as a result of climate change, they say.
The full statement follows.
In Wales, Climate Justice Coalition rallies are taking place in Cardiff, Swansea, Carmarthen and Caernarfon.
Christian Aid has produced resources for churches for taking action on Loss & Damage
Bishops’ COP 27 statement
This weekend while world leaders discuss climate change at the COP 27 summit in Egypt, people in Wales and elsewhere will be taking to the streets in public rallies calling for climate justice.
Justice is among the values at the heart of the Christian faith and it is a principle which we believe is key to this year’s summit. Climate change will affect us all but it is already having a huge impact on many of the world’s poorest nations. This is unjust. Those impacted most by the climate crisis are bearing a heavy cost for which we are all responsible and yet they are the least able to support its weight. There is a clear moral responsibility for those of us in countries made wealthy by industrialisation to share that burden by paying to remedy climate change-related loss and damage.
Our hope and prayer for this year’s vital COP summit is that justice will prevail and that the need to provide new and fair funding to climate vulnerable nations will be recognised.
There is still a chance to turn the tide, but all nations need to act together and justly to save the precious planet which is our common home.
The Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron
The Bishop of Monmouth, Cherry Vann
The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Lomas
The Assistant Bishop in Bangor, Mary Stallard