Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change
The nurturing and respect for Life is a central doctrine of all faiths
on Earth. Yet today we are endangering life on Earth with dangerous
levels of greenhouse gas emissions. These gases are destabilizing the
global climate system, heating the Earth, acidifying the oceans, and
putting both humanity and all living creatures at unacceptable risk.
The extraordinary delicacy of Nature’s balance is becoming increasingly
apparent, even as human actions inflict ever larger, more dangerous and
potentially irreversible changes on the indivisible web of atmosphere,
earth, ocean and life that is creation. Today our faiths stand united in
their call to care for the Earth, and to protect the poor and the
suffering. Strong action on climate change is imperative by the principles
and traditions of our faiths and the collective compassion, wisdom and
leadership of humanity. We recognize the science of climate change, and we
call for global leaders to adopt strong, binding, science based targets
for the reduction of greenhouse gases in order to avert the worst dangers
of a climate crisis. We urge the nations of Earth to ensure that those who
will suffer under climate induced changes such as more severe storms,
floods, droughts and rising seas, be aided to adapt, survive and equitably
prosper.
We recognize that climate change is not merely an economic or technical
problem, but rather at its core is a moral, spiritual and cultural one. We
therefore pledge to join together to teach and guide the people who follow
the call of our faiths. We must all learn to live together within the
shared limits of our planet.
We recognize that just as climate change presents us with great
challenges, so too it offers great opportunities. Mitigating climate
change can stimulate economies sustainably, protect our planet, lift up
the poor, and unite to a common cause people threatened by a common
danger. Assisting vulnerable communities and species to survive and adapt
to climate change fulfills our calling to wisdom, mercy, and the highest
of human moral and ethical values.
We commit ourselves to action – to changing our habits, our choices, and
the way we see the world – to learning and teaching our families, friends,
and faiths – to conserving the limited resources of our home, planet
Earth, and preserving the climate conditions upon which life depends.
In this spirit, we call upon our leaders, those of our faiths, and all
people of Earth to accept the reality of the common danger we face, the
imperative and responsibility for immediate and decisive action, and the
opportunity to change.
www.interfaithdeclaration.org
