wfn.org | U.S. Christians Urge Swifter Government Action on Climate Change

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

30-May-1997 
97223 
 
         U.S. Christians Urge Swifter Government Action 
                     on Climate Change 
 
                       by Tracy Early 
                 Ecumenical News International 
 
NEW YORK--A 20,000-strong petition calling for urgent action to combat the 
global threat of climate change has been presented by the National Council 
of Churches (NCC) to Timothy Wirth, the U.S. State Department's chief 
representative in international climate-change negotiations. 
 
    The petition, part of an international campaign on climate change 
coordinated by the World Council of Churches (WCC), was presented May 17 to 
Wirth, undersecretary of state, at a conference in Estes Park, Colorado, 
sponsored by the Eco-Justice Working Group of the NCC. 
 
    Many scientists believe that climate change is likely to result in new, 
erratic weather patterns, the disappearance of entire species, and rising 
sea levels. Climate change is brought about, they say, by an increase in 
the atmosphere of what are described as "greenhouse" gases that trap the 
sun's rays in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.  According to the 
WCC and some environmental groups, the increase in greenhouse gases is 
precipitated largely by the lifestyle in industrialized countries. 
 
    Joan Brown Campbell, NCC general secretary, said this month, "We 
believe that the voices of scientists and politicians alone are not 
sufficient to slow the climate change that scientists generally agree is 
happening. This climate petition helps demonstrate the concern of our 
members for faster governmental action on this issue." 
 
    The petition calls on the U.S. government to 
 
  fulfill its pledge at the 1992 Earth Summit 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. 
 
    Signatories also said they were prepared to reduce their own energy 
consumption and accept "the consequences of reductions for society, economy 
and our personal lives." 
 
    The WCC's international petition campaign, which was launched in March 
1996, aims to demonstrate public support for more determined measures to 
meet the threat posed by climate change. WCC member churches and national 
councils of churches in more than 20 industrialized countries have taken 
part in the petition campaign. 
 
    The Rev. William Somplatsky-Jarman, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 
associate for environmental concerns who coordinated the NCC's petition 
campaign in the United States, told ENI that Wirth said at Estes Park that 
he was chairing a newly formed interagency task force on climate change and 
that he would take the petition to its first meeting on May 20. 
 
    "They are very aware and appreciative of the role the churches  are 
playing," Somplatsky-Jarman said.  He said signatures were collected by ten 
or more  NCC denominations and some Roman Catholic religious orders.  The 
Orthodox  community was involved "to some extent," he said. 
 
    Although 20,000 might not seem a big number in comparison to the NCC 
constituency of more than 50 million, it was considered a "pretty good" 
response for a campaign that had been under way only since last July, 
Somplatsky-Jarman said.  He also noted that the petition had some "teeth" 
in its commitment to sacrifices by the signatories and was not merely a 
call for others to do something. 

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