wfn.org | Launch Climate Change Campaign

[umethnews-request@ecunet.org]

"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3082 notes).

Note 3077 by UMNS on July 24, 1996 at 16:30 Eastern (4645 characters).

SEARCH: climate, change, petition, Church and Society, National
Council of Churches, World Council of Churches, stewardship,
fossil fuel, greenhouse effect,

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Ralph E. Baker                          363(10-71){3077}
          Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470            July 24, 1996

Churches launch petition
campaign on climate change

by Shanta M. Bryant*

     WASHINGTON (UMNS) -- With rapid changes occurring in the
world's climate, U.S. religious leaders launched a petition
campaign, spearheaded by the National Council of Churches (NCC),
at a July 16 press conference in the United Methodist Building
here, urging the United States government to respond to the
dangers of climate change.
     The collected petition signatures will be presented to the
U.S. delegation at next year's international Climate Convention.
     Jaydee Hanson, assistant general secretary of the United
Methodist Board of Church and Society, said the board will
advocate for the denomination's members to show support for more
responsible energy and climate policies by signing the petition.
United Methodists in various regions across the country will be
coordinating the petition campaign for the next six months.
     "We believe that God can and does reveal understanding of the
world through the work of scientists as well as theologians," said
Hanson. "The scientists from around the world are telling us that
now is the time to act."
     The 1996 General Conference commended the work of the World
Council of Churches (WCC) on slowing climate change, which
includes national petition campaigns. In addition to the United
Methodist Church, 11 other NCC member churches endorsed the
climate change petition.
     The petition asks the United States government to:
     * fulfill its pledge at Earth Summit 1992 in Rio de Janeiro
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year
2000;
     * establish firm policy measures and adopt a binding
international agreement that will achieve greater reductions in
emissions after the year 2000;
     * initiate public debate on the risks of climate change and
increase public participation in exploring solutions.
     The signatories also will make a commitment to alter their
lifestyle reducing energy consumption and the resulting greenhouse
gas emissions.
     A WCC study on climate change revealed that accelerated
climate changes could impact water distribution and temperature,
raise sea levels, shift the distribution of disease organisms, and
increase heat-related mortality and illness.
     Although the United States is a major contributor to
greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, Hanson charged
that the government has made only modest efforts to prevent
further acceleration of climate change.
     "There has been a bi-partisan effort in Congress to do little
or nothing," Hanson said. "Key Democrats have supported the auto
and coal companies appeals for delay; key Republicans have
supported the oil industry's appeal for delay."
     Joan Brown Campbell, NCC general secretary, stressed that the
council launched the petition campaign because the U.S. government
is not hearing enough from people who care about the future of
God's good creation." Campbell added that the voices of scientists
and politicians are "not sufficient" to slow the climate change.
     "The creator who loves the whole earth calls those of us that
are primarily responsible for accelerating the  warming of the
earth's atmosphere and is likely to result in significant
environmental, social and economic consequences.
     The consumption of fossil fuels, scientists say, must be
dramatically reduced by electricity generation, industry, heating
and motor vehicles. "We should not waste God's precious gifts of
fossil fuels," Hanson said.
     He cautioned that climate change is a serious threat to the
poor in the United States. He said that climate change would
create more heatwaves and storms that largely effect the poor i
both rural and urban areas and that Dengue Fever, a mosquito-borne
tropical disease has been discovered among the poor living on the
Texas border.
     More information on the climate change petition campaign is
available from Jaydee Hanson at (202) 488-5650.
                              #  #  #

     * Bryant is associate editor of Christian Social Action and
program director of communications for the United Methodist Board
of Church and Society.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------