Public Affairs Commission calls for a Climate election

May 6, 2019

The Public Affairs Commission of the Anglican Church of Australia is calling on the Australian electorate to make dealing with Climate Change a priority issue during the election campaign. The following statement has been released:

Climate Election

The Public Affairs Commission of the Anglican Church of Australia is calling on the Australian electorate to make dealing with Climate Change a priority issue during the election campaign.

Over the years, the General Synod of our Church has identified Climate Change to be a significant threat to humanity and the viability of the planet’s biological systems.

We are particularly concerned that the effects of Climate Change will be felt disproportionately by the world’s poor.

We are deeply concerned by the fact that the effects of Climate Change are already being felt by the people of the Torres Strait and by our Pacific neighbours.

We are also concerned that without intentional action communities in Australia that currently depend on carbon-intense industries will suffer as the world deals with Climate Change. There is a need for active implementation of policies that will enable a just transition to a dependency on renewable and related technologies for these communities.

We encourage all people of faith and goodwill to contact the candidates standing for election in their local electorate to:

• convey to the candidates the need to make dealing with Climate Change a priority for the next Parliament;
• to enquire of them what policies they have for dealing with Climate Change
• to ask them to explain what policies they have for ensuring a just transition away from carbon dependency for rural and regional communities.

Dr Carolyn Tan,
Chair of the Public Affairs Commission

 

>> You can find out more about how Climate Change is affecting ABM’s partner communities here.

 

[Image: Extensive damage to a building caused by Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. © International SOS 2015.]