Glasgow Multi-Faith Declaration for COP26  

UK faith leaders have called on governments to take urgent action to avert damage threatened by climate change, ahead of the crucial climate summit 

General Secretary Lynn Green has joined more than 50 leaders in signing the Glasgow Multi-faith Declaration for COP26, which was released on Monday 20 September.

The United Nations COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement in 2015 and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It takes place in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November. 

The declaration sees the leaders acknowledging the gravity of the situation and the impact of climate change around the world.

They issue a series of commitments in responding to this challenge, before calling on governments to 'work together and with others to create a positive vision for 2050 where addressing climate change is not just an opportunity to stop burning fossil fuels, but also:

• to achieve cleaner air and water;
• to reduce food wastage;
• to ensure a just and equitable sharing of the earth’s resources;
• and to protect the habitats we share with all other life on whose health we also depend.'

The declaration acknowledges doctrinal and political differences among those signing, but adds 'our collective energy and prayers will be with those working for a successful outcome.'

And in the declaration, the leaders call on politicians to 'provide hope for people of all ages, everywhere, including future generations.'

The declaration comes off the back of Stop Climate Chaos Climate Fringe Week and the Scottish Government’ Climate Week, and is at the start of The Climate Coalition Great Big Green Week.


The Declaration is here:  

(You can find a poster version of this declaration to show in your church here.)

Our faith communities are united in caring for human life and the natural world. We share a belief in a hopeful future, as well as an obligation to be responsible in caring for our common home, the Earth. 
 
We recognise the opportunities that COP26 brings in addressing the urgent need for action in limiting the effects of climate change and the critical importance of decisions made in this conference to take forward the agreement made in Paris in 2015.
 
People have exploited the planet, causing climate change. We recognise that the burden of loss and damage falls most heavily on people living in poverty, especially women and children. 
 
We acknowledge the commitments made through the Lambeth Declaration in 2015. Now, because of the gravity of our situation, the impact of climate change around the world, and the inequality of its effects we seek to strengthen those commitments.
 
We commit to respond to this challenge by:

• Reflecting deeply in prayer, meditation and worship to discern how to care for the earth and each other, and to encourage our respective communities to do the same.
• Making transformational change in our own lives and in the lives of our communities through individual and collective action.
• Being advocates for justice by calling on governments, businesses and others who exercise power and influence to put into effect the Paris agreement; to make the transition to a just and green economy a priority; and to commit to science-based targets that are aligned with a healthy, resilient, zero-emissions future.

 
We remind governments of their commitments made in Paris in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, and of Article 17 of the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights to protect the environment, the biosphere and biodiversity. We call upon them to take the urgent action needed to avert the loss, damage, and forced migration threatened by climate change.
 
We look to governments to work together and with others to create a positive vision for 2050 where addressing climate change is not just an opportunity to stop burning fossil fuels, but also: to achieve cleaner air and water; to reduce food wastage; to ensure a just and equitable sharing of the earth’s resources; and to protect the habitats we share with all other life on whose health we also depend.
 
Across our doctrinal and political differences, we know that we must change our ways to ensure a quality of life which all can share, and we need to provide hope for people of all ages, everywhere, including future generations.  To offer hope in the world we need to have confidence that those in power understand the vital role they have to play at the Glasgow COP26.
 
Our collective energy and prayers will be with those working for a successful outcome.

Signed by:
 
UK Senior Faith Leaders
 
Archbishop Angaelos, Archbishop of London, The Coptic Orthodox Church
 
The Rt Revd John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, and lead Bishop for the Environment, Catholic Church in England and Wales
 
Imam Qari Muhammad Asim, Chair, Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board
 
Malcolm M Deboo, President, Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (Inc)
 
Revd Clare Downing and Mr Peter Pay, Moderators of General Assembly, United Reformed Church
 
Rabbi Joseph Dweck, Senior Rabbi, S&P Sephardi Community, UK
 
Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, The Baptist Union of Great Britain
 
Rev Sonia Hicks, President of the Methodist Church and Barbara Easton, Vice-President of the Methodist Church
 
Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Former Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism
 
Rt Rev Andy John, Bishop of Bangor and Senior Bishop in the Church in Wales
 
Rabbi David Mason, representing Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis
 
Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra (Imam), Christian - Muslim Forum
Mr. Patrick O’Mara, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United Kingdom
 
Mrs Trupti Patel, President of the Hindu Forum of Britain
 
Juliet Prager, Deputy Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain
 
Imam Sayed Razawi, Chief Imam, Director General of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society
 
Rabbi Danny Rich, former Senior Rabbi and Chief Executive of Liberal Judaism in the United Kingdom
 
The Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala, Head Priest of the London Buddhist Vihara
 
Dr Natubhai Shah, Senior leader, Jain Community UK
 
The Rt. Hon Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon, Director Network of Sikh Organisations (UK)
 
Jasvir Singh OBE, Chair of City Sikhs
 
Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia OBE KSG, Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha
 
Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich and lead Bishop on the Environment, Church of England
 
Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, Senior Rabbi of Masorti Judaism UK
 
Scottish Religious Leaders & Representatives
 
The Rt Hon Lord Jim Wallace of Tankerness,
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
 
Elizabeth Allen, Clerk, General Meeting for Scotland, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
 
Imam Sohail Ashfaque, Blackhall Mosque
 
Lt-Col Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
 
Revd David Coleman, Minister of the United Reformed Church and Chaplain to Eco-Congregation Scotland
 
Allan Forsyth and Isadora Quay, on behalf of the Baha’i Community of Scotland
 
Rev Bonnie Evans Hills, convener Scottish Episcopal Church Interfaith Relations Committee
 
Madhu Jain, Hindu Mandir Scotland
 
Revd Dr Martin Johnstone, Glasgow Churches Together COP26 Ambassador
 
Ani Lhamo, Kagyu Samye Ling Buddhist Centre
 
Bishop Brian McGee, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interreligious dialogue
 
Rev Dr David Miller, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
 
Acharya Ji Mishra, Priest of Hindu Mandir Scotland
 
Ravinder Kaur Nijjar, Advisor Sikhs in Scotland
 
Imam Hassan Rabbani, Imam of Zia-Ul-Quran Mosque, Chair of Scottish Muslim Forum
 
Lama Yeshe Choje Losal Rinpoche          
Abbot of Kagyu Samye Ling Buddhist Centre
 
Rabbi David Rose             
Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation
 
Rabbi Moshe Rubin, Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, Senior Rabbi of Scotland
 
Shaykh Sohaib Saeed, Al-Furqan Mosque
 
The Revd Mark Slaney   
Chair Methodist Church Scotland
 
Sr. Isabel Smyth                
Sisters of Notre Dame & Secretary to the Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Inter-religious Dialogue
 
Most Rev Mark Strange
Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
 
Linsay Taylor, Muslim Council of Scotland and Chair of Interfaith Scotland
 
Dr Srihari Vallabhajousula, Honorary Priest, Hindu Temple of Scotland, Rutherglen, Glasgow
 
Ameed Versace, Climate Officer, Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society
 
Revd Paul Whittle, Moderator of The United Reformed Church National Synod of Scotland
 
Rev. George Whyte, Principal Clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
 

You can find a poster version of this declaration to show in your church here