UK's religious communities urge climate change action

Leaders from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Baha'i, Jain and Zoroastrian faiths have said climate change posed a "very real threat to the world's poor".

BBC News reports the religious leaders are calling on the G20 countries to take action. The basis for their call is their belief that the richest nations were primarily responsible for the emissions that cause climate change; therefore it was their responsibility to do something about it. They told the BBC: "We recognise unequivocally that there is a moral imperative to tackle the causes of global warming. "This is reinforced by the reality that it is the poor and vulnerable who are most profoundly affected by the environmental impact of climate change - especially droughts, floods, water shortages and rise in sea levels." The leaders will work to increase awareness in their own communities as well as supporting international efforts to help the poorest and most vulnerable people cope with climate change, and redouble their efforts to cut emissions from their own institutions. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, told the BBC, "We all have to do more to face the challenge of climate change. Faith communities have a crucial role to play. We must do our bit and encourage others to do theirs." Friends of the Earth international climate campaigner, Tom Picken told the BBC the faith leaders "are absolutely right that rich countries must lead the way in tackling climate change". He added: "Rich countries account for just a fifth of the world's population but are responsible for three-quarters of the emissions in the atmosphere today."