The goal was to build on the high level statements on environmental responsibility in the Jewish, Hindu, Catholic, Muslim, Uniting Church, Anglican, Buddhist and other traditions. ARRCC was set up to facilitate greater active engagement in advocacy work as well as on sustainability, an area which was more readily accepted by faith communities.
Supporters of ARRCC felt that a multi-faith voice would have unusual moral weight in the public domain. Furthermore, in the words of Michael Stafford, when we work this way we model “the type of solidarity between rich and poor, and among all nations, which is required in order to successfully develop an effective global response to the threats posed by climate change” (Michael Stafford, ABC Religion and Ethics, 13/07/12). ARRCC, which is an incorporated association operating across the country, is attempting to do this in the Australian context.
Sustainable lifestyles
Perhaps not a popular message, as people of faith we understand that our happiness does not lie in consuming more and more of the earth’s resources. We encourage communities across Australia to embrace lifestyle options which reflect caring for the earth. These are not portrayed simply as some kind of self-sacrifice, but as alternative options which hold the promise of better health, slowing down the pace of life and increasing a sense of connection with the earth and each other.
Eating less meat, championed by the Hindus and Buddhists, is not only important in reducing methane emissions, but is better for your health and an expression of respect for other life forms. Walking, riding a bike or using public transport similarly means less stress and more exercise.
More generally, ARRCC provides resources with which communities can make their operations more sustainable. In the last year we have published online Climate Action Kits in the Islamic, Christian, Jewish and Hindu traditions and a Buddhist Kit is in the pipeline. They are intended to provide an array of tools which can be used by local faith communities to integrate environmental care into their common life – including theology, prayers, sample preaching, basic science, tools for sustainability as well as advocacy.
A high point of the sustainable lifestyle aspect of our work was an awards evening for communities which had demonstrated exceptional responsibility towards the environment.
Advocacy for climate justice
The second major aim of ARRCC is to add another, broadly-based faith voice to the climate debate in Australia. On the whole, our positions are closely aligned with the requirements of both climate science and social justice and are relatively ambitious compared to those of other environmental organisations. Because we are committed to truth-telling, we don’t shrink from what could be regarded by some others as unrealistic positions.
As religious people, we are perhaps more interested in the impacts of global warming on the most vulnerable in the world. We are spurred on by climate-related disasters such as Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, and the more slow-moving threat of rising sea levels facing low-lying Pacific islanders. Hence we take a strong interest in international climate negotiations, especially Climate Finance.
Over the years we have published a number of open letters, made submissions, written our own letters and visited Parliament. Some of the high points in ARRCC’s advocacy work were the Youth Embassy on the lawns of Parliament House in 2012 and several rounds of visits by religious leaders to MP’s in the Federal Parliament, including most recently in March this year.
Go Fossil Free campaign
It is becoming clearer to us, however, that ordinary people cannot wait for international negotiations or even individual governments to produce the results humanity and the earth need. ARRCC had already taken the step of divesting from fossil fuels by switching to BankMECU before the visit of Bill McKibben in April 2013. His visit however spurred our full participation in the Go Fossil Free campaign. With partners 350.org and Catholic Earthcare especially, we have strongly encouraged individuals and organisations to move their money out of funds and banks that continue to invest in the fossil fuel extraction. This campaign is fast-growing and is serving to take away the social license of fossil fuels industries to operate.
To assist this de-legitimisation process, and because conventional approaches have not achieved the needed results, more recently some of us have engaged in civil disobedience.
A faith voice
In a context where the public’s support for climate action is lessened and there is a misinformation campaign being waged, Australia needs prophetic voices. ARRCC makes a modest attempt to be one of these voices, to keep faithful to the urgent need to protect the integrity of creation for future generations.
