Thousands of Christians to Join International Day of Climate Protest

Christians from all major UK denominations will unite in huge numbers on Saturday Dec. 3rd, in London for a new prayer initiative calling for international action to be taken to prevent the disastrous consequences of global climate change.

|PIC1|The event will involve a service, which will be just part of an International Day of Climate Protest that have been organised to coincide with and mark the United Nations Climate Talks.

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI), which gathers together Churches from Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, Reformed and Pentecostal traditions, is backing the ecumenical event through its Operation Noah – CTBI’s Church-led climate change campaign.

Some of the world’s most powerful and influential leaders are scheduled to gather in Montreal from Nov. 29 to Dec. 9, which will commence the process by which they will look to agree a strategy to fight against extreme climate change once the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

London’s ecumenical service has been organised by Christian Ecology Link, and will ivite speakers from Tearfund, the Religious Society of Friends, along with CTBI’s Ruth Jarman from Operation Noah. They will be joined with various other members from churches, aid agencies, as well as development and environment groups.

In the wider picture, the international event is set to be a huge movement operating across various other major European cities, including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin, as well as America, Canada and the Global South.

Thousands are predicated to gather in London for a march, and Christians will form part of a wide-ranging inter-faith section of people, whose religious beliefs have brought them to speak out and bear witness at the rally.

|AD|The march will culminate at the US Embassy on Dec. 3rd, at 2.30pm GMT, where Christian leaders will be among those offered a chance to speak to those gathered.

After this, the main service will follow in the nearby Hinde Street (West London Mission) from 4pm to 5pm.

The Moderator of Operation Noah, Rev Dr David Pickering said, “We will be making life very hard for future generations if Montreal fails to agree a way forward on long term action on climate change. The Kyoto Protocol must be followed up with far bigger cuts in our carbon emissions. Binding targets are the only way to stop catastrophic climate changes kicking in.

“Not only that, we want Montreal to recognise that within a safe global carbon budget every country, everyone, rich or poor, is entitled to a fair share of the economic benefits which responsible use of fossil fuels can bring.”

He concluded, “A strong and united Christian presence at the International Day of Climate Protest in London would demonstrate that Christians are committed to taking concerted action to safeguard the life on Earth, both now and for future generations.”

Organisers are calling on all Christians to unite in the rally and service, and to pray for the leaders to take positive action and steps to halt climate change.