Faith communities across Australia are holding vigils this morning outside the offices of Members of Parliament, including that of the Prime Minister. They are demanding that Australia take stronger climate policies to the United Nations climate Summit in Glasgow, especially a stronger target for the year 2030.
Those targeted are mostly Government MPs and include Prime Minister Scott Morrison, ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾s Leader Barnaby Joyce and Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef, Warren Entsch.
Part of a global multi-faith day of action, similar protests are being held in hundreds of locations around the world, from New York to Nairobi, Lilongwe in Malawi to London, some with corporate targets such as BlackRock and others challenging deforestation.
Over 120 diverse faith communities across Australia were involved yesterday and hung banners on their places of worship or held events, calling on Scott Morrison to set much bolder climate targets for 2030. As the Government considers a target of net zero emissions by 2050, faith communities say that only an ambitious near-term goal would make that goal meaningful.
Venerable Bhante Sujato, Buddhist monk of Sutta Central, set to attend outside Scott Morrison’s office, said, “We are distressed that the Coalition’s internal debate is about a 2050 target when the main game is slashing pollution this decade. We need targets closer to those of our partners the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union. Indeed, the world needs reductions now.”
In Melbourne, Pentecostal Pastor Rob Buckingham of Bayside Church, said, “Our prayers are for the Morrison Government, that they will take the bold action needed to protect the integrity of God’s creation. We can already see the early but escalating effects of climate change. We must rise to the challenge now, in order to protect the future of humanity.”
“We share the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾s’ concern for regional communities but, with the world moving away from fossil fuels, it is more compassionate to assist these communities to diversify their local economies. Otherwise, we abandon them to an uncertain and bleak future. Especially so because people in the regions are also bearing the brunt of fires, floods and droughts made worse by climate change,” Pastor Buckingham said.
In Perth, people from across the religious spectrum will meet outside the office of outgoing MP, Steve Irons. Ann Zubrick, Presiding Clerk of Quakers Australia, said, “Mr Irons is in the same prayer group as the Prime Minister. We are asking him to let Mr Morrison know that we’re all praying that fossil fuels are not simply replaced by fossil fuels. Funding for a gas-fired post-COVID recovery is immoral. Instead, we need public investment in large-scale renewable energy which would create more jobs and be better for our farmers, water security, our health and the climate.”
In Cairns a ritual is being held at the local Anglican Church, attended by Buddhists, Quakers, Christians and people from other local groups. They will cross the road to the office of Warren Entsch who is also the Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef. Mr Entsch has been an outspoken critic of ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Party colleagues over their opposition to setting an emissions target.
Spokesperson for the Anglican Diocese of North Queensland, Father Neil Forgie, said, “We support Mr Entsch in his calls for stronger climate action, but we want to encourage him to speak up even more strongly. He must tell the Prime Minister that the time for half-measures is over – we must drastically reduce emissions this decade.”
In Australia, actions are organized under the auspices of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC), a founding partner of GreenFaith International.
