Faith leaders unite for a strong Scottish climate change bill

Scotland’s faith leaders joined hundreds of campaigners for a rally outside the Scottish Parliament last week calling for a strong Scottish Climate Change Bill.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Imam Muhammad Ruzwan, the Rev Fred Tomlinson of the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Rev Ewan Aitken, Secretary to the Treasury for the Church and Society Council of Scotland came together to urge MSPs to implement a world leading piece of climate change legislation.

The rally, organised by the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) coalition, was attended by around 600 people, including 30 MSPs. Thousands of brightly decorated stick people were planted near the Scottish Parliament to symbolise public support for a strong climate change bill.

SCIAF’s Chief Executive, Paul Chitnis joined the heads of other SCCS member organisations, faith leaders and members of the public in a bid to influence MSPs.

Speaking after the event he said: “People in developing countries have done least to cause climate change yet they are being hit first and hardest by its effects. The Scottish Climate Change Bill offers MSPs a chance to put in place a strong and binding piece of legislation and set a clear example for the rest of the world. Cardinal O’Brien’s presence, together with the other faith leaders, shows the there is widespread concern across society on this issue.”

World leaders will meet in Copenhagen later this year to hammer out a new global climate change agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol. Many see this as the last chance to get greenhouse gas emissions under control or face devastating consequences.

Scotland is one of the first countries to implement climate change legislation and the timing of the Scottish Climate Change Bill – due to be finalised in the run-up to the Copenhagen summit – means that Scottish politicians could set a precedent for the global talks.