wfn.org | NCC calls for stronger bill on greenhouse effects

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>NCC urges Congress to take immediate action
>on climate to protect vulnerable communities

Washington, May 14, 2010 -- The National Council of Churches commented  on 
climate legislation introduced today in the Senate and called on  Congress "to 
take action to address climate change in order to protect  those living in 
poverty in the U.S. and abroad."

The NCC, composed of 36 national Christian communions, said the  legislation in 
it its current form "fails to provide adaptation  assistance in a timely and 
sufficient manner to meet the growing needs  of those living in poverty around 
the world."
 
"The United States, as the world's largest historic emitter, has a moral  
obligation to swiftly reduce its emissions and provide sufficient  assistance" 
for persons in poverty, the statement said.

The NCC statement applauded the Senate for its commitment to low-income  
consumer protection and for placing "the US on a path towards  significant 
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions."

The Council and its member communions have highlighted three priorities  for 
any climate legislation: "strong emissions reductions in line with  scientific 
recommendations, protections for those living in or near  poverty in the United 
States from rising energy costs, and robust  international adaptation 
assistance."

>The full text of the statement: 

The National Council of Churches renews its call for this Congress to  take 
strong and swift action to address the global climate crisis. Our  brothers and 
sisters across the planet and all of God's good creation  are already suffering 
from the impacts of a changing climate. We believe  that the United States, as 
the world's largest historic emitter, has a  moral obligation to swiftly reduce 
its emissions and provide sufficient  assistance for those living in poverty in 
the US and around the world.

We are thankful that Senators Kerry and Lieberman understand the urgency  of 
this issue and hopeful that yesterday's introduction of the American  Power Act 
will spur renewed interest and swift action by the full  Senate.

For years, the National Council of Churches and its member  
denominations/communions have lifted up three priorities for any climate  
legislation: strong emissions reductions in line with scientific  
recommendations, protections for those living in or near poverty in the  United 
States from rising energy costs, and robust international  adaptation 
assistance.

While falling short of the scientific recommendations for short-term  emissions 
reductions targets, the American Power Act would place the US  on a path 
towards significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and  encourages our 
transition to a greener energy future.  Further, we  applaud the Senators for 
their commitment to low-income consumer  protection. The Act provides 
sufficient resources to meet fully the  needs of those living on the economic 
margins in the U.S., who otherwise  would be pushed further into poverty as a 
result of increased energy and  related costs. We appreciate that the 
legislation recognizes the U.S.'s  responsibility to protect communities abroad 
from the worst impacts of  climate change. However, it fails to provide 
adaptation assistance in a  timely and sufficient manner to meet the growing 
needs of those living  in poverty around the world. We look forward to working 
with the  Administration and Congress to fully meet our obligations.

However, the American Power Act also includes a number of troublesome  
provisions that must be resolved as the debate moves forward. We are  
particularly alarmed at the expedited process for investment in and  approval 
of new nuclear power plants that would, as written, exclude the  voices of 
affected communities in the permitting and licensing process.   And in light of 
the unfolding tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico, we have  grave concerns over the 
offshore drilling provisions which, even with  late changes, fail to 
sufficiently protect coastal communities and  fragile coastal ecosystems.

The legislation unveiled yesterday is the product of months of  bipartisan 
negotiation and compromise - a testament to the steadfast  commitment by the 
authors to this issue. We hope Senate leadership  demonstrates an equal level 
of bipartisan commitment in bringing to the  floor and passing legislation that 
reflects our shared vision of justice  for God's creation and all God's people.
____

Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of  Christ in 
the USA has been the leading force for ecumenical cooperation  among Christians 
in the United States. The NCC's member faith groups --  from a wide spectrum of 
Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical,  historic African American and 
Living Peace churches -- include 45  million persons in more than 100,000 local 
congregations in communities  across the nation.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office),  646-853-4212 
(cell), pjenks@ncccusa.org