London: Christians hold climate vigil outside ARC conference

"Let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth." - 1 John 3:18

During the Red Alert Heatwave, on the hottest June days on record, a group of Christians, members of the Laudato Si Movement and Christian Climate Action, staged a three day Climate Vigil outside the ARC (Alliance for Responsible Citizenship) Conference which took place last week at Kensington Olympia in London.

For two hours every morning and evening they peacefully stood in witness outside the venue where 4,000 international attendees from 85 countries were meeting and networking at a cost of up to £1,500 a ticket.

The group, including two artists, held painted banners, flags and signs appealing for urgent action to protect God's Creation from climate breakdown.

One painting quoted Pope Francis' words : "Listen to the Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor - Protect Our Common Home", another by Martin Jarvis stated : "We are Crucifying Our Planet".

The ARC Conference was founded by Canadian psychologist and climate change denier Jordan Peterson and Conservative peer and Christian, Philippa Stroud. The lavish event was funded by the Dubai based Legatum Institute and by the Christian philanthropist and multi-millionaire Paul Marshall, whose Hedge Fund Marshall Wace had £1.8 billion invested in fossil fuel companies in 2023. Marshall also owns The Spectator magazine and co-owns GB News which hosted 953 attacks on climate science & net zero policies in the months surrounding the 2024 election.

Large donations have also recently been made to ARC from American fossil fuel interests and prominent multi-millionaire Trump supporters.

According to the guest list, 40 MPs were present and Baroness Philippa Stroud interviewed both Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch. Both back scrapping the UK's landmark Climate Change Act and have called for new North Sea Oil extraction.

A keynote speech was made by Chris Wright, Donald Trump's Energy Secretary (and a former fossil fuel executive) via video link.

Wright claimed that "cold is a vastly larger killer than heat is". He urged the UK to "change course" and embrace fossil fuels, and called climate change a "slow-moving phenomenon" that would be addressed by technology.

Experts have said for years that while technology can play a part in lowering CO2 levels in the atmosphere, it cannot replace ending the use of fossil fuels.

Theologian James Orr, Reform's Policy Chief, who has frequently attacked climate policies and the UK's goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, also spoke, along with climate sceptics Dr Steven Koonin and Matt Ridley.

Members of European far right parties such as Germany's AfD, Alliance for the Union of Romanians, Belgium's Vlaams Belang, Netherland's Party for Freedom and VOX from Spain attended the conference.

According to one attendee, approximately 80% of those present at the conference were Christians. Numerous priests and religious were seen entering and exiting the conference by the vigillers who gave out leaflets and prayer cards and attempted to engage with them.

Artist and Laudato Si Animator Helen Elwes held her painted banner of Mary 'Mother of Mercy' set in the burning rainforest, with figures from all nations and endangered animals taking refuge under her blue cloak.

Helen said: "Some people stopped to speak to me and ask why I was there. I said that I feel it is our duty as people of faith to protect God's precious creation. That responsible citizenship for the climate means rapidly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. I explained that the overwhelming scientific consensus is that anthropogenic climate change is real. Many denied the science and the seriousness of the climate emergency, but other young attendees, who had received free tickets, admitted to feeling uneasy about what they were hearing in some of the speeches. A young Dutch attendee said he felt that the speakers were "wolves in sheep's clothing" and several thanked us for our presence there."

Martin Jarvis, another artist and member of Christian Climate Action and the Laudato Si Movement said: "I felt it was very important to stand up for truth and caring for our common home and against the distortion, misinformation and untruths being perpetuated inside the conference. It was important to try and engage with people and hear their positions."

The vigillers felt that their strategy of openness and communication had begun a dialogue and they encouraged the attendees at the ARC conference to join them in this prayer:

God of blessings,

The world sings of your glory.

We thank you for all you have made.

Awaken in us a renewed commitment

to care for the earth and each other.

Holy Spirit, inspire us with openness to listen

to those affected by climate change,

and with courage to act urgently and wisely,

Amen