Faith leaders have called on the UK government to step up international efforts to encourage the phasing out of fossil fuels.
Catriona Wheeler, United Reformed Church General Assembly Moderator, joined senior representatives of the Methodist Church, the Baptist Union in Great Britain in co-signing a letter asking Ed Miliband, as Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero,聽to personally attend the聽, taking place 24-29 April.
The international summit is being co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands in Santa Marta, Colombia. This letter argues that the presence of the Secretary of State would convey a clear message of support from the UK for this new聽multilateral movement, and aid vital work to agree a detailed roadmap for a聽transition away from fossil fuels聽that is fast, fair, and funded.
The UK has a proud history of international climate leadership, with聽 that “We are up against the march of time and massive global forces that would slow down or stop action. In the face of this opposition, multilateralism is our best hope”. The faith leaders say that “Your words encouraged us [鈥nd] 鈥媤e 鈥媏ncourage you to put them into action鈥� with fellow climate leaders鈥� in Santa Marta鈥�”.
In an appendix to the letter, the leaders explain their shared motivation in issuing the call, saying: 鈥淭o be good 鈥嬧�媍arers 鈥媜f our common home, we must act quickly and phase out the production of fossil fuels鈥� It is 鈥媋 鈥媘oral imperative to protect those most in need and to uphold the鈥� rights of future generations鈥� 鈥嬧�嬧�媋nd the whole earth鈥嬧�嬧�� 鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�媌y employing renewable sources of energy.鈥�
Revd Canon Giles Goddard, Chair of Faith for the Climate and signatory of the letter, said: “It鈥檚 really important that the UK continues its record of climate leadership by working with climate allies. In the face of a fossil fuel crisis, this conference is vital to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, and ensure that it is fast, fair and funded.
“Ed Miliband鈥檚 attendance would show the UK is serious about climate justice and wants to work together, especially with the countries most impacted by the climate crisis. As Ed said himself, 聽Santa Marta is a key opportunity to bring on 鈥榯he era of clean energy security’.”
This conference has the support of many fellow climate leaders, such as the nations who signed the Belem Declaration on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels,聽聽on the next steps in the fight for climate justice.聽 small island states especially at risk from climate change, such as Fiji and Jamaica, as well as close European allies of the UK, such as Spain and Austria. It also includes the co-host of COP31, Australia. These countries have welcomed the Santa Marta Conference 聽Several nations attending are major fossil fuel producers, including Colombia itself, as well as聽
The initiative follows on from聽, and would represent an important step in furthering international discussions on climate change. The UNFCCC COP talks have struggled to maintain a focus on the phase-out of fossil fuels, despite it being referred to聽. This conference, independently organised by like-minded countries with high climate ambitions from Global South and North, would help to keep fossil fuel phase-out on the agenda as we look towards COP31 later this year.
To read the letter in full and for the full list of signatories, see .