THE FAITHFUL CONSUMER January 06

…connecting faith and the environment

By Sarah Streed

It is now a new year. 2005 is gone. But something very important happened in the last few weeks of 2005 that shouldn’t be overlooked: During the Climate Talks in Montreal last December, ordinary people and religious leaders broke with the official U.S. stance.

Some background on the Talks: The United Nations Conference on Climate Change (aka The Climate Talks) held in Montreal this last December was the latest in an effort began over a decade ago with an international treaty to reduce global warming and cope with the inevitable changes it will bring. The Kyoto Protocol—an international agreement linked to the existing treaty, but standing on its own—was adopted unanimously in 1997 and entered into force last February.

So it was during these talks—on the last day—that the Bush administration chief negotiator walked out. That’s bad news for America—or would have been but for the other Americans in attendance—committed citizens, mayors, legislators, scientists, business and religious leaders—all of whom showed disagreement with this official U.S. act.

For example, Bill Stallworth, City Councilman from Biloxi Mississippi, having just lived through Katrina, spoke about climate solutions. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels led a contingent of Mayors—representing 195 U.S. cities—that pledged to meet the goals of the international treaty. Various state officials spoke of how California is requiring automakers to reduce global warming pollution from new cars and how the northeast states have a new market system for reducing power plant carbon dioxide.

Religious leaders were also presenting a different side of America to the world. The World Council of Churches held an inter-spiritual earth celebration at St-Joseph's Oratory (Montreal's most visible religious landmark) to highlight the importance of religion responding to climate change. 2,000 people attended the ceremony, which included prayers, dance, and testimonies from the world's major religions, and signed a Spiritual Declaration on Climate Change which was submitted to the conference by Canadian Environment Minister Stéphane Dion.

These “ordinary people” and religious leaders presented a marked contrast to the U.S. federal government’s unwillingness to cooperate in the global effort. They illustrated that in many parts of the U.S., people are already working to reduce emissions and build a new American energy economy with less dependence on fossil fuels.

The real news from the Climate Talks in Montreal isn't that the federal government walked out of the talks—that’s the same-old, same-old. The real news is that this time, the American people—business, state and religious leaders—made sure that the voices of the American people were heard.

January’s tip: The earth is voiceless. Make your voice heard. Support the Kyoto Protocol.

Sarah Streed is a board member of the Wisconsin Interfaith Climate & Energy Campaign (WICEC) and runs Write Stuff Works (www.writestuffworks.com ) a writing business. She lives in Stoughton, Wisconsin with her husband and children. Email smstreed@sbcglobal.net

All rights reserved by Sarah Streed.

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