Climate-concerned clergy cycle to Downing Street

Clergy from the Diocese of Oxford recently cycled to Downing Street to deliver a petition with 10,000 signatures in support of more government action on climate change.

The petition, compiled by relief and development agency Tearfund, urges Prime Minister Gordon Brown to do everything he can to secure a strong Climate Change Bill.

The group of clergy included the Team Vicar of Langley Marish, the Rev Robin Grayson, the Vicar of Iver, the Rev Tim Eady, and Associate Clergy of Iver, the Rev Brian Griffiths.

The petition was delivered to Downing Street as part of the Stop Climate Chaos Campaign, a coalition of leading NGOs campaigning for greater government commitment to climate change that includes A Rocha, Christian Aid, the Church of Scotland, MRDF, Tearfund, and SPEAK.

Development agencies are calling on the Government to ensure that the Climate Change Bill includes targets that will benefit poor communities already feeling the effect of climate change.

Campaigns Manager at Tearfund, Ben Niblett, said, "That means a target of 80% cut in emissions by 2050, including the UK's share of the international aviation and shipping industries.

"These petitions represent a strong groundswell from the church in the UK that the Climate Change Bill must be tougher."