MEDIA RELEASE

No 'winners' and 'losers' in climate change debate

7 July 2008

The Uniting Church today expressed its support for quick and decisive action to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and urged an immediate end to the language of winners and losers.

"We have one atmosphere and one planet. Either we all win or we all lose," said the Rev. Elenie Poulos, the National Director of UnitingJustice Australia.

"The Garnaut Review Draft Report has pulled together the best science in the world. This is not scare-mongering, but it is frightening. We are suffocating the planet and we are running out of time to make a difference."

Rev. Poulos said, "We are particularly concerned about the lack of trust some of our political and community leaders and opinion makers appear to have in the world’s leading climate scientists.

"The Christian church has a poor history of not trusting scientists and most of us have learned from our mistakes. No matter how much the church wanted it to be different, the sun did not revolve around the earth.

"No matter how much we would like it to be different now, the world is suffocating from humaninduced climate change and the problem is urgent."

"We must put a price on carbon as soon as we can. We must ensure that the most vulnerable in our society are well supported as we change our economic base. We need to recognise that we must do it together, working co-operatively not competitively. We must be bold, creative and, above all, courageous."

Uniting Church offices, agencies, congregations and members around the country are working to improve their own energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint.

Rev. Poulos said, "We know it’s not much in the grand scheme of things but like so many Australians, we want to live more sustainably and we want our governments to do all they can to help.

"It is time to move to a green economy that takes seriously our responsibility to the planet, all its creatures and future generations," said Rev. Poulos.