A call for global climate action: Primate’s message to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

The following message was sent to the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Dear Minister,

At its triennial meeting during the summer, the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada voted to join hundreds of other faith communities from around the world in signing the Faith Letter for a Fossil Fuel Treaty. The Letter urges governments to work together globally to develop and implement a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty that lays out a binding global plan to:

• End expansion of any new coal, oil or gas production in line with the best available science as outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Environment Programme.
• Phase-out existing production of fossil fuels in a manner that is fair and equitable, considering the respective dependency of countries on fossil fuels and their capacity to transition.
• Ensure a global just transition to 100% access to renewable energy globally, support dependent economies to diversify away from fossil fuels, and enable all people and communities, not least in the Global South, to flourish.

As you know, we continue to witness the impacts of global climate change. We see it vividly in Canada with increases in wildfire activity, more frequent extreme weather events, and accelerated warming in the Arctic region. Clearly, the time for action is now.

We remain committed to working with your government to achieve effective, sustainable changes that will meaningfully reduce global carbon emissions. Many members of our Church are Canadians living in the North and we are particularly concerned that your government facilitates a just transition and mitigates the effects of climate change for all communities in Canada and across the planet. I would welcome the opportunity to meet to discuss how we might collaborate in this work around our shared priorities.

Anglicans believe creation is a divine gift entrusted to human beings. The Anglican Church of Canada has long acknowledged that the environmental crisis places this sacred gift in danger, and we see it as our sacred duty to protect it. Please be assured of the prayers of Anglicans from coast to coast to coast you undertake your duty to lead this work at the federal level.

Yours truly,

The Most Reverend Shane Parker
Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada