14/12/2015
鈥淚 warmly welcome the agreement that almost 200 states came to in Paris on Saturday, setting a clear and ambitious path towards tackling global climate change.
鈥淓arlier this year I, alongside many other faith leaders, endorsed the Lambeth Declaration on Climate Change. The Declaration recognised the COP21 negotiations as a pivotal moment in the urgent global challenge to tackle climate change.鈥
鈥淎s faith leaders, we urged those participating in the negotiations to apply the best of our world鈥檚 intellectual, economic and political resources to reach a legally-binding global agreement to limit the global rise in average temperatures to 2oC. The commitment made by world leaders to hold the increase in global temperatures to 'well below' this level is welcome and courageous progress.
"Those most affected by climate change are the poor. In our prayers and actions we must demonstrate our love for them through sustainable and generous innovation.
鈥淭he success of the negotiations to bring together so many different countries and groups to an agreement is a remarkable achievement.
鈥淥ne of the Anglican Communion鈥檚 marks of mission says that we are 鈥渢o strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth鈥. The global church 鈥 extraordinarily led on the issue of climate change by Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch 鈥 must be a key partner in tackling climate change. As the Body of Christ, his church is called to be incarnational. Each of us has a role to play, if we are to help achieve what has been agreed in Paris.鈥