Posted on: 27th June 2024

This letter is available to be used to contact election candidates on the subject of climate breakdown, signed by Christian leaders across Leeds. If you are a Leeds resident, you can also add your name to the list of signatures HERE.

 

Dear Electoral Candidates of Leeds,

Re: Urgent Call to Electoral Candidates in the face of Climate Breakdown

As representatives of the Christian community in Leeds, we write to you with urgency and concern about the escalating climate crisis.

The signs of climate change are unmistakable: extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and biodiversity loss. These are not abstract concepts; they are tangible threats affecting the lives of our global neighbours and posing imminent dangers and an existential threat to present and future citizens of Leeds.

Our current position, moving beyond 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels and on a trajectory to exceed 2.7 degrees by the century's end, paints a bleak picture of mass migration, starvation, and societal collapse.

It is tempting to believe that such catastrophes may only impact less fortunate parts of the world, but the reality is starkly different. Leeds, despite its resources and infrastructure, is not immune to the ravages of climate change. As temperatures rise, we face the grim prospect of infrastructure collapse, leading to shortages in essential services like food, transportation, healthcare, and education. The words of the UN Secretary-General echo loudly: "We are on the highway to climate hell, with our foot on the accelerator."

This dystopian future, with its potential collapse of Leeds' infrastructure, is not a distant scenario but a looming threat that could manifest within the lifetimes of the children and youth of our city. Consider the projections of 1.2 billion climate refugees by 2050, or the looming spectre of global breadbasket failure, triggering food insecurity, economic collapse, and social unrest. The repercussions of inaction are dire, and we stand at a pivotal moment where courageous and decisive action is imperative.

It is no longer sufficient to say we must act now to avoid catastrophic global warming, for we are already in a catastrophe. Temperatures will continue to rise even if we stop all fossil fuel emissions. The question now is how we can act to avert the worst of what may be and adapt with both compassion & courage to what lies ahead?

Grounded in our Christian faith and as an outworking of our faith in Jesus, we recognise our moral obligation to steward the Earth and advocate for the welfare of all its inhabitants, both locally and globally. We are called to love our neighbours and safeguard the dignity of every human being, reflecting the divine image in which they are created. It is with this conviction that we implore you, as a candidate for public office, to prioritise climate action.

We urge you to speak truthfully about the level of emergency we are facing. We do not need hopium or distraction but rather political leaders who articulate reality in a culture of denial. We need hope-filled realists, not those who peddle empty promises and platitudes. Truth matters.

We urge you to recognise that unrestrained capitalism and consumerism, whilst offering short term economic gain, are forces which restrain the ethical imagination to act in accordance with reality as it really is. Political advocacy for the climate in Leeds cannot be reduced to one issue amongst many but should be seen as one of the greatest threats to our shared economic and social life. We need to act like we are in an emergency. Ethics matters. 

We also urge you to recognize that mainstream media and politics have, up till now, failed to awaken society to the truth of our emergency. We urge you to challenge those who prioritise financial gain and political self-interest and instead align your policies and principles with the boldness and compassion that this emergency necessitates. Love matters.

Moreover, we call upon you to advocate for international collaboration on climate action. Climate change knows no borders, and addressing this crisis requires unified efforts from all nations. As a leader on the global stage, the United Kingdom must assume its responsibility and lead by example, fostering cooperation to combat climate change. The world's most vulnerable matter. We are asking you to speak out. Courage matters.

We stand prepared to collaborate with you to advocate and advance climate action in Leeds and beyond. Together, we may be able to forge a future that is more  just, sustainable, and resilient for all. We can, if we act now and mobilise a generation, to face the challenges of climate breakdown with courage and compassion to avert the worst of what may be and adapt in love to whatever befalls. 

We equally stand ready to challenge and speak truth to political leaders and governments which willingly and knowingly plunge us further into the storm of climate breakdown. Justice matters.

Thank you for considering our urgent plea. We eagerly await your response.

Blessed are the Peacemakers,

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for Justice.

Yours sincerely, 

If you are a Leeds resident looking to add your name to the list of signatures click here

Rev. Jon Swales, MBE, (Priest, Diocese of Leeds) LS16 - Main Author

Major Micheal & Nicola Barker (Salvation Army) LS2  

Rev. Dr George Bailey (Methodist Minister) LS8

Rev. Alison Battye (Priest, Diocese of Leeds) LS16  

Steven Craven (Lay Minister, St Peter’s Church) LS13  

David Flowers (Senior Pastor, Leeds Vineyard) LS6  

Pastor Chris Frost (Gateway Church) LS11  

Kären Gray (Crossgates Community) LS15  

Rev. Lesley Greenwood Haigh  

Rev. Heston Groenewald (All Hallows Leeds) LS6  

Rev. Angela Hannafin LS17  

Rev. Mark Harlow (Vicar of St Paul’s, Ireland Wood) LS16  

Rev. Hannah Jones LS14  

Rev. Lottie Jones LS17  

Dave Paterson Chair of Christians in Politics (Leeds) LS4  

Rev. Anne Russel LS14  

Rev. Emily Tidball LS27  

Rev. Julia Wilkins (Rector of Bramley, St Peter’s Church) LS13

Andy Atkinson LS15  

Nikki Haldane Bevington LS6  

Johnny Bolton LS13  

Katie Boyes LS5  

Alice Brencher LS5  

Angela Clark LS15  

Jonathan Clatworthy LS20  

Tom Curtis LS4  

John Davy LS8  

Lesley Davy LS8  

Simon Dowling LS18  

Beth Edwards  

Dr Bethan Fiveash LS13  

Jack Flowers LS6  

Laura Flowers LS6  

Alan Gibson LS7  

Simon Hall LS4  

Ian Harden LS6  

Liz Harden LS6  

Richard Mayers LS21  

Laura Palmer LS6  

Ann Roberts LS8  

Stuart Roberts LS8  

Alan Robinson LS15  

Laura Schubert LS8  

Stephen Scales LS17  

Sue Smith LS16  

Sarah Swales, (Christian Climate Action Leeds, LS16)  

Rick Thomas LS13  

Ruth Thomas LS28  

David Wallace LS8