Church bells tolled, and temple gongs sounded during multi-faith actions staged across Australia today as part of a global call for stronger climate action.
Leaders from the Catholic Church, other Christian denominations, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism took part in an estimated 120 actions, including silent protests outside the offices of senior government figures.
Banners were unfurled outside the electoral office of Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanding the government commit to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
There were actions across Queensland, including bells sounding for the climate emergency at the Franciscan Catholic Parish in Kedron in Brisbane.
“No religious tradition sanctions the destruction of nature,” Catholic lay leader Thea Ormerod, founder of the multi-faith Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, said.
“Yet this is exactly what governments, financial institutions, and major corporations are doing.
“Our faiths are compelling us to go out from our churches, mosques and temples and into the streets to make our voices heard.”
About 400 actions were planned today across 38 different countries by groups from all major religions,
Some 200 influential religious leaders have publicly endorsed the demands set out by the campaign, which also calls for policies to create green jobs and deliver a ‘just transition’ for workers.
Backers include former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Vatican cardinal Peter Turks, Buddhist author Joanna Macy, Muslim-American scholar Imam Zaid Shakir, secretary general of the African Council of Religious Leaders Francis Kuria, and Azza Karam and Rabbi David Rosen, respectively secretary general and co-president of the Religions for Peace group.
“The world needs strong, principled climate action immediately,” said Francesca de Gasparis, executive director of Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute.
“Faith communities have issued statements, fatwas, encyclicals, and more on climate change. What’s needed now is binding legislation.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously said Australia should get to net zero emissions “as soon as possible” and preferably by 2050, but has not moved to formally legislate the target.
All states and territories in Australia have a formal target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner.
Australia has been under international pressure to formally follow nations like the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States and formal adopt a net zero emissions target.
