Marching for Global Climate Justice

Christian Climate Action and Columban teams lobbying at Westminster on 13 November.

The Global Day of Action for Climate Justice on Saturday 16 November will be marked in at least 25 places across Britain, including London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton. It aims to lobby world leaders meeting at COP29, the United Nations Climate Conference of Parties Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan (11- 22 November), to work towards climate justice and a liveable future for all.

In London, a march will move from the British Museum at midday to Downing Street. It will call for the UK government to end its reliance on fossil fuels, commit to paying climate reparations, and to end its complicity in the destruction in Gaza. Faith groups joining this march include Christian Climate Action, Green Christian, Columban Justice, Peace and Ecology Team, Quakers in Britain and Faith for the Climate.

The year, 2024 is on track to be the first to see global average temperatures exceed pre-industrial levels by over 1.5°C. Rising temperatures produce natural disasters, rising sea levels, and biodiversity loss. Climate change negatively impacts nations globally, but especially underdeveloped nations and small island states that have done the least to cause this problem. The 1.5 C trajectory, scientists say, needs emissions to be nearly halved by 2030 on the way to net-zero by 2050.

Catholic officials and others of faith have joined global leaders and national delegates from nearly 200 countries in Baku.

Discussions are centering on securing funding for the urgent transition away from fossil fuels decided in 2023, and limiting global warming. Pope Francis has called upon wealthy nations to acknowledge the gravity of many of their past decisions and cancel debt for countries struggling to care of their people and the planet. Cardinal Parolin quoted the pope to heads of state gathered at COP29: "This is more than a question of generosity, this is a matter of justice."

In Britain, the Labour Government is being urged to close the gap that exists between global ambitions and UK law by backing the Climate and Nature (CAN) Bill. MPs are being lobbied to vote in favour of the CAN Bill on 24 January 2025, the day the Bill has its crucial Second Reading in Parliament.

LINKS

A map of all actions taking place across Britain on 16 November is available at: https://climatejustice.uk/cop29/find-your-nearest-action/

Jesuit Missions Daily Bulletins from COP29: https://jesuitmissions.org.uk/cop29-daily-bulletins/

Campaign for the Climate and Nature Bill: www.zerohour.uk/climate-and-nature-bill/

Details for London march on Saturday 16 November:

Assemble at 12noon outside the British Museum on Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3BA to march 1.6miles to 10 Downing Street rally, via the SOCAR office on the Strand. SOCAR is Azerbaijan's state oil and gas company.

Over 60 organisations are coming together for the march. Faith groups joining include Christian Climate Action, Green Christian, Columban Justice, Peace and Ecology Team, Quakers in Britain and Faith for the Climate. They will urge the UK government to deliver climate justice.