CHRISTIAN ECOLOGY LINK PRESS RELEASE
6 Dec 2010 Onward Climate Marchers - Christians call for Green Jobs and Global Treaty
It was, perhaps, divine intervention, that cleared the unusually early
snow and ice and made the going easier for the annual Climate Change
March in central London on Saturday 4th December 2010.
-366.jpg) As in previous years, Christian Ecology Link held a church service as
part of the Campaign against Climate Change proceedings – this time in
the Church of the Annunciation in Bryanston Street, Marble Arch in the
heart of London’s West End.
Young and old attended the service, where prayers were held for the
United Nations climate conference in Cancun, Mexico; calling on God
for guidance for the UK Government to play its part in achieving zero
carbon emissions; for encouragement for local sustainable community
projects; and for action to halt extinction of species in this year of
biodiversity.
The key speaker was Edward Echlin, author and ecological theologian
who spoke about the need for Christians to be both prophetic and
hopeful.
"We’re here to be humbly prophetic. Humble because we are of the
earth, right but not self-righteous. As prophetic, we challenge the
assumptions of China, India, America and the EU, of infinite economic
growth on a finite planet. As prophetic, we live our message. In our
lives we try to be negative feedback, stabilising climate !" said
Edward.
"After Copenhagen and Cancun people need hope. As humbly prophetic we
offer seeds of hope...Advent is a time of hope. We offer hope, we sow
and plant, and are negative feedback. In the words of our closing
hymn, "We’ve work to do, me and you"".
244.jpg) Worshippers left the service singing and joined the other marchers in
Hyde Park where they formed a giant “2030” figure – the date by which
the UK could achieve zero net carbon emissions, with careful planning,
good leadership and strong national policy for clean energy and green
jobs.
Thousands of Climate Change campaigners and activists then held a
good-natured march through the streets to a rally at Parliament
Square, where the assembled crowd was addressed by Caroline Lucas of
the Green Party, Michael Meacher MP, Phil Thornhill of the Climate
Campaign and others.
One marcher remarked, "Very tiring, but wonderful to see so many
supporters on the streets...people not involved in the march were
applauding us as we walked by, and that felt good."
Meanwhile, in Colombia, 1.5 million people have been made homeless by
record torrential rain; 70,000 have also been made homeless in
Venezuela, towns in Queensland, Australia have been cut off by
widespread flooding and Albania has been hit by the worst floods in
living memory.
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More pictures (high res) and links on climate service and march...
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