Climate Sunday launched to promote Church climate action

Climate Sunday' has been launched to provide a focus for churches across Britain and Ireland committed to action on climate change.

Climate Sunday has been organised by the Environmental Issues Network of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, supported by charities including CAFOD, Christian Aid, Tearfund, A Rocha UK, and Operation Noah.

Local churches are encouraged to hold a Climate Sunday any time during a one-year period from 6 September 2020 - the first Sunday in the annual Season of Creation.

Free resources are being provided to suit every tradition and style of worship. Each church is invited to do one or more of three things:

1. To hold a climate-focused service to explore the theological and scientific basis of creation care and action on climate, to pray, and to commit to action.

2. To make a commitment as a local church community to taking long term action to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions.

3. Join with other churches and wider society by adding its name to a common call for the UK government to take much bolder action on climate change in advance of COP26, and to strengthen its credibility to lead the international community to adopt a step change in action at COP26.

The culmination of the campaign will be a national Climate Sunday event on Sunday 5 September 2021, to share church commitments and pray for bold action and courageous leadership at the COP26 UN climate talks in Glasgow in November 2021.

Bishop John Arnold of Salford, the bishop responsible for the environment for the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, said: "We need to recognise the damage we're doing to the environment and our failure to look after our brothers and sisters in our common home. In a post-pandemic world, the Climate Sunday project is an excellent opportunity for Catholic parishes in England and Wales, as well as our ecumenical brothers and sisters, to understand responsibility to heal our planet and to pray and act in response to the climate emergency."

To register for Climate Sunday visit: www.climatesunday.org