Saturday, December 11, 2010

Faith communities in Cancun - does it matter


The UNFCCC meeting in Cancun is running on overtime and every delegate seems to to their best to avoid a failure like we seen in Copenhagen.
Also the WCC have as the last of everyone in plenum made its statement. But does it matter if the faith communities is present or not? Do they add anything more than just another voice that we can hear from other environmentalist or social justice groups.
Actually I think it matters.
A document on why churches are present in Cancun from the group that attended the Cancun meeting was delivered and it ends like this
The holistic approach to climate change that churches proclaim also includes the spiritual dimension which must not be overlooked or ignored in the deliberations over political and economic interests. The hosting of ecumenical or interfaith celebrations during the COPs, as well as other explicit expressions like demonstrations and messages from local congregations and communities, stress the particular contribution that faith based groups and organizations can and must bring to the debate. It is our hope that the ethical and spiritual considerations will be taken seriously in the follow-up deliberations after COP 16.

There is, therefore, a moral obligation for the churches and faith communities to participate in the negotiations of the international community in Cancun and in the future. Their contribution is twofold: to urge the world to act for a more just and equitable world and and the same time, rooted in their spiritual teachings, convey a message of hope to the whole world.

That is a good reason why.

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