NJPN: 'Live or Let Die' meeting focuses on Environment and Peace

Pax Christi members at an NJPN conference

A call for action on systemic change to tackle the Climate Crisis was made at the online quarterly meeting of the National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN) on Saturday. Around 40 representatives of diocesan commissions in England and Wales heard four speakers address the theme: 'Live or Let Die - A call to care for the poor and for the Earth'.

Michael Chambers of Brentwood Diocese highlighted the results of a survey of young people's views on climate: "We want systemic change - not just individual action" was a key point; and: "we're doing other things less important - we need funds for protecting biodiversity and climate."

Young people warned against becoming desensitised to the full impacts of climate change and urged that Christians advocate for urgent action and stay hopeful, especially for the sake of future generations. It is important to maintain hope despite the waves of dire warnings about planetary systems being pushed into dangerous instability.

In a presentation on 'Environmental Justice', Ellen Teague of the Columban Justice, Peace and Ecology Team showed images from the 10-day 24 hour 'No Faith in Fossil Fuels' Vigil at parliament which ended as the NJPN was meeting. She quoted from 'Laudate Deum' where Pope Francis said, "groups negatively portrayed as 'radicalised'… are filling a space left empty by society as a whole," (LD 58). The key advocacy points of the vigil were: the UK to move away from the use of oil and gas, reparation payments for damage caused by climate change in the Global South, and investment in green policies. Campaigners are not often the decision makers but they are very often the decision shapers, according to UN Head Antonio Gutterez.

She called for the UK government to honour its climate commitments, promising to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. And for the COP process to speed up international action to stop rising too far beyond the 1.5 degrees threshold which has already been breached.

NJPN members were urged to lobby the nine Catholic dioceses still investing in fossil fuels to disinvest, which, according to Operation Noah, includes promising never to invest in them in the future. There was a reminder that FaithInvest offers courses for investment managers and that the NJPN Environment Group keeps the network up to date with campaigns, events and resources. Also, a reminder that in many countries environmental defenders, especially indigenous people, risk their lives when they try to protect vulnerable communities, water and biodiversity from destructive activities.

Andrew Jackson, Chief Executive of Pax Christi England and Wales, spoke on 'Environmental issues as a cause of conflict'. Climate change causes conflict because it intensifies competition over land and water, affects food production, and forces migration. Paragraph 57 of 'Laudato Si' says, "It is foreseeable that once certain resources have been depleted, the scene will be set for new wars."

And wars contribute to climate change. The example was given of the burning of oil fields by the retreating Iraqi army in Kuwait during the first Gulf War in 1991 where Kuwait's occupied oil fields were turned into a desert inferno. "Environment is the silent victim of conflicts," said Andrew. Wars can destroy landscapes as well as communities. He provided information about the scale of military greenhouse gas emissions. Military emissions are around 5.5% of total global emissions.

Colette Joyce of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission and Coordinator of the Southern Dioceses Environmental Network started her presentation with a photo of Westminster Cathedral taken through the branches of a London Plane tree in the piazza. How many have barely noticed the London Plane trees outside the cathedral? There is a need for greater appreciation of and engagement with the natural world around us and for personal carbon reduction. But she stressed her belief in collective action and systemic change. Colette is working with Westminster Diocese for carbon neutrality by 2030. She supported the Christian Climate Action Vigil outside parliament and is preparing for the 'Laudato Si' anniversary on 24 May, the next Season of Creation in the Autumn and COP29 in Baku during November.

The Northern Area Environment Group is due to meet on 28 February; the Southern area on 11 March. Ideas to be developed at those meetings include a strategy for building up to the Season of Creation and pushing for all Catholic Dioceses to shun fossil fuels. The Scarborough parishes of Middlesbrough Diocese are considering putting environmental reflections in their weekly bulletins. Some dioceses are working with universities - Lancaster with Lancaster University and Leeds with Leeds Trinity - to monitor carbon emission from church buildings. Bishops will be asked to urge parishes and schools in their dioceses to sign up to the LiveSimply programme. At a macro level, all agreed to support the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Anne Peacey, the Chair of the NJPN, said speakers and workshops for July's NJPN Conference will be announced soon. The theme of the 19-21 July conference in Derbyshire is 'Just Politics'.

LINK

NJPN 2024 Conference: www.justice-and-peace.org.uk/conference/