Interfaith Climate Summit in Uppsala
On 28 and 29 November, (Lutheran) Church of Sweden Archbishop Anders Wejryd gathered religious leaders from five continents and all major faith traditions for the Interfaith Climate Summit in Uppsala, Sweden. Archbishop Wejryd is a Co-President of the World Council of Religions for Peace.
”We know enough to realize that we need to act now in the interest of future generations. The situation is critical […] More than ever before the world now needs extraordinary, long-sighted political leadership,” participants said in a statement called the Uppsala Manifesto which carried the title ”Hope for the Future!”
The 30 signatories addressed the Copenhagen process which is the preparatory process before the International Climate Summit to take place in the Danish capital in 2009: ”This strategy must be ambitious enough to keep climate change below 2 degrees Celsius, and to distribute the burden in an equitable way in accordance with the principles of common but differentiated responsibility,” the statement said.
The last part of the statement under the heading ”Humility, responsibility – and hope” contained challenges and commitments for the future. ”[W]e know that the world has never before been more capable of creating sustainable development. Humanity possesses the knowledge and technology. Popular commitment to doing what can and must be done is growing,” the statement said.
In his speech to the conference, Archbishop Wejryd underlined the responsibility which religious leaders have to address the issue of climate change, and also underlined the potential for positive influence which is found in all religious traditions. He said forums for cooperation across religious borders are important, but underlined that the Interfaith Climate Summit should not develop into an organisation in itself.
The Uppsala Manifesto ”Hope for the future” is available here.
More information on the Summit can be found here.
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