A National Day of Climate Action

August 18, 2019

The Public Affairs Commission of the Anglican Church of Australia has released a statement endorsing the call for a National Day of Climate Action.  

The Public Affairs Commission of the Anglican Church of Australia endorses the call for a National Day of Climate Action on 20 September 2019 and encourages Anglicans to participate.

The Marks of Mission of the Anglican Church commit the Church to striving to safeguard the integrity of creation, and to sustaining and renewing the life of the earth. Climate Change is a significant threat to our planet and its inhabitants.

The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia and various Diocesan Synods have called on State and Federal Government to act in decisive ways to deal with Climate Change.

The National Day of Climate Change Action provides the opportunity for all Australians to call on our political leaders to act.

The scientific consensus is that global emissions of carbon dioxide need by 2050 to be less than half of those in 2000, if we are to have a better than even chance of preventing a rise of more than 2 degrees in global average temperature, with consequent major climate change and increased extreme weather events. Action to date in Australia and overseas does not give confidence that such reduction will be achieved.  Awareness carries a responsibility to do our best for the future.  Unless we take account of the needs of our own descendants, and of other life, we will not be behaving kindly, fairly, ethically or morally.  Anglicans respect the clear statement on the public record from the 1998 conference of world-wide Anglican Bishops, that ‘human beings have responsibility to make personal and corporate sacrifices for the common good of all creation’.

Political leadership of the highest quality is needed.  Individuals can only do things on a small scale and many of us are, but effective national and international action is desperately needed.

Dr Carolyn Tan,
Chair of the Public Affairs Commission