Thought for the week: Ruth Tod on a national day of action
‘The crisis challenges us on many levels, personal and political, local and global.’
On 22 September, Quakers and many others in the UK will be coming together to demand that the government stand up to fossil fuel corporations and give their support to those communities most affected by the climate crisis. This will be a global day of action calling on governments around the world to declare their support for an international Loss and Damage Fund, to be paid for by fossil fuel companies and other big polluters, specifically to help those most in need. Many groups will be holding a vigil, while others will be meeting in prayer. In London, a Walk for Witness will pass the Shell Centre and arrive at Westminster around noon. It will be a reminder that the whole planet is affected by the climate crisis and that we are all in this together.
The crisis challenges us on many levels: personal and political, local and global. Despair, grief, fear and anger sit side by side with hope, compassion and courage. It is a confusing and frightening time. I have a card on my shelf which reminds me that ‘Hope is Power’. We do not know what the future holds; we do know that hope and love can draw us together and open our eyes to possibilities. A global day of action, on behalf of the poorest who are suffering most, is one way to express our concern and our hope.
The idea of the Loss and Damage Fund challenges the iniquity and greed that underlies the culture in which we live. From floods in Bangladesh to drought in Africa, climate disasters are destroying livelihoods across the world. Yet the biggest oil and gas companies continue to make billions in profits and have done nothing to help. That is why Friends are joining other churches and organisations to demand our government’s support for the Loss and Damage Fund that was proposed last year at COP26 in Glasgow. Politics is the art of the possible and, while companies are still extracting fossil fuels, they should be taxed based on the polluter-pays principle. COP27, in Egypt this autumn, is an ideal time to implement the Loss and Damage Fund. The day of action is crucial in galvanising support for it.
I hope Friends will give their support in any way they can, on the day itself or around that time. Our Meeting will have a Climate Justice stall at the Great Big Green Week Fair in our town, on 24 September. We will invite people to sign a petition available on the ‘Make COP27 Count’ website. We will also have information about some of the poorest communities, which are responding to the crisis with courage, resilience and innovation, rediscovering traditional methods and learning new ones. We will be surrounded by stalls about local initiatives such as car sharing and solar panelling, tree planting and wildlife conservation.
You can go to ‘Make Polluters Pay’ on the Quakers in Britain website for information about actions that you can take, including details about: the Walk for Witness; a petition to the prime minister; and ideas for writing to your MP. Many Friends will be attending vigils, which are acts of public prayer. If you are not able to join a vigil, I hope you will consider joining at home in spirit.
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