Climate change: World's Christian leaders release first joint statement demanding urgent action

The Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew have called on people to "listen to the cry of the earth".

Pope Francis waved to crowds on Sunday before his surgery
Image: The Christian leaders were 'compelled' to address the 'urgency of environmental sustainability,' Pope Francis said.
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The world's most prominent Christian leaders have joined forces to persuade people to urgently address the climate change crisis.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew - spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church - released their first joint statement on Tuesday calling on everyone to "choose life" by "examining their behaviour" and making "meaningful sacrifices for the sake of the earth".

They suggested how people are already "paying the price" and warned how "tomorrow could be worse".

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby makes an address during a National Service to mark the centenary of the Armistice at Westminster Abbey, London, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby makes an address during a National Service to mark the centenary of the Armistice at Westminster Abbey, London, Sunday November 11, 2018. (Paul Grover/Pool photo via AP)
Image: Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has urged everyone to 'hear the cry of the earth'

The religious leaders also described the "profound injustice" that the world's poorest people would suffer the most "catastrophic consequences" of humans abusing the planet, despite being "least responsible".

The joint statement said: "We call on everyone, whatever their belief or world view, to endeavour to listen to the cry of the earth and of people who are poor, examining their behaviour and pledging meaningful sacrifices for the sake of the earth, which God has given us."

"This is a critical moment," the statement added.

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Four years without rain has left Madagascar with desperate food shortages and the UN have called for long-term solutions.

"Our children's future and the future of our common home depend on it."

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Human beings had "greedily consumed more of the earth's resources than the planet can endure," the Christian leaders said, adding: "We stand before a harsh justice: biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and climate change are the inevitable consequences of our actions."

The three men united during the Christian season of "Creation" ahead of the COP26 climate change summit in November.

This year's talks have been described as the world's last chance to take action over the crisis.

Pope Francis tweeted from his @Pontifex account to his 18.8 millon followers: "This is the first time that @JustinWelby, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and I feel compelled to address together the urgency of environmental sustainability, its impact on persistent poverty and the importance of global co-operation. #SeasonofCreation."

Meanwhile the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, shared a reference to the book of Deuteronomy in the Bible with his Twitter following.

"For the first time @Pontifex, @EcuPatriarch and I appeal to the heart and mind of every Christian, every believer and every person of good will to hear the cry of the earth and work together to "choose life" (Dt 30:19)".

Extinction Rebellion climate activists take part in a protest in London, Britain August 28, 2021. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
Image: Extinction Rebellion protestors at a London rally in August urging world leaders to take action REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

The joint statement was released less than a month after a landmark UN climate report revealed how human behaviour is "unequivocally warming our planet".

The findings were branded a "code red for humanity", with catastrophic flooding and droughts expected to become more frequent and intense as the world is set to hit the 1.5C global warming limit within the next 20 years.

On Monday more than 200 health journals from across the world issued a joint call for world leaders to take emergency action on climate change.

"The greatest threat to global public health is the continued failure of world leaders to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5C and to restore nature," editors of the publications said.