Climate change is a rapidly growing threat to the European Union and the whole of Creation. Faith groups, including ACT Alliance EU, are concerned with the climatic impacts that are disproportionally affecting poorer communities, and so are following the elections closely.
“Climate change is a global challenge which must be handled immediately. We are already witnessing its impacts around the world. Observing the aftermaths of the recent Cyclone Idai and Cyclone Fani, it is clear that extreme weather events have a particularly devastating effect on poor and vulnerable communities,” says Birgitte Qvist-Sørensen, Chair of ACT Alliance EU.
ACT Alliance EU’s Director, Floris Faber perceives the forthcoming European elections as an important opportunity for change. “The upcoming elections at the end of May present a pristine moment for Europeans to call for climate action. Political leaders must listen to the joint and urgent call from scientists, the data in the 1.5°C IPCC report and the people. We need climate action now!”
Climate change has been an important issue for faith groups for many years. At the 2017 G7 Summit in Bologna, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist faith leaders launched a joint Call urging leaders to care for Creation. The Call remains relevant today.
“As faith leaders, we stand together, and we believe that it is still possible to handle the climate crisis. However, we will only succeed if we take action now and if we do it together,” says Birgitte Qvist-Sørensen, Chair of ACT Alliance EU.
“As a faith movement, we care for Creation and for our brothers and sisters around the world. When we in the EU vote, we should remember that our vote has an effect far beyond the European Union. The consequences of weak EU climate policies are felt by fishermen in Bangladesh, and herds in Uganda,” Birgitte Qvist-Sørensen, Chair of ACT Alliance EU continues.
“The elections this year are an opportunity. The lacklustre outcomes of the Future of Europe Summit last week, make it clear that EU policymakers must take this chance to make a difference for the future, and step-up Europe’s climate action,” concludes ACT Alliance EU’s Director, Floris Faber.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Leia Achampong, ACT Alliance EU, Policy Officer, Climate Justice – leia.achampong@actalliance.eu, +32-2 234 5660
Mattias Söderberg, Senior Advisor, Climate Justice, DanChurchAid, msd@dca.dk, +45 29700609
NOTES
- The Sibiu Declaration [Future of Europe Summit – May 9th] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/05/09/the-sibiu-declaration/?utm_source=dsms-auto&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+Sibiu+Declaration
- The Climate Action Call: http://climateactioncall.caneurope.org/ supported by a broad coalition representing hundreds of European cities, regions, businesses, youth and faith groups and civil society organisations, including ACT Alliance EU.
- Bologna Interfaith Charter: Living Our Values, Acting for Our Common Home : https://actalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/CharterOfValuesAndAction-1.pdf
- IPCC 1.5C report: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/