The G8 nations are meeting in a few weeks. Climate change, extreme poverty and the potential of the Millennium Development Goals to make a difference will be a major part of their agenda. The Episcopal Church Public Policy Network has issued the following alert and call to action:
This summer marks the half way point for the targeted achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Despite high promises from G8 leaders, a new report this week by DATA, one of the Episcopal Church’s partner organizations, shows that while progress has been made in some of the anti-poverty commitments made by G8 leaders at their 2005 summit, much bolder action is needed if the MDGs are to be met by 2015. (www.thedatareport.org)
In a few short weeks, leaders of the G8 nations, including President Bush, will meet in Germany with an agenda that includes addressing the onset of climate change throughout the world, as well as the world’s progress toward eradicating deadly poverty and meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Write President Bush, the G8 must keep their commitments to the MDGs and need to address the role that climate change will play in their success.
This is a critical time for the climate and the MDGs. On Sunday, the San Francisco Chronicle printed Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori’s opinion column urging that world leaders consider the two issues simultaneously, as climate change propels global poverty and global poverty propels climate change. “By understanding how the two crises, and the people they affect, are connected, we can begin to understand how humanity can triumph over both,” wrote the Presiding Bishop. To read the full article, Click Here
Send a message to President Bush now — Urge him to work with other G8 leaders to keep the promises they have made toward meeting the MDGs, and in particular, to address the relationship between global poverty and climate change as part of this meeting’s agenda:
For ideas on how you and your church and community can make a difference check out Green Lent: a blog of ideas to lessen your impact on the earth and to share resources with others. Listen to the Wombat!