A coalition of clergy and lay people want N.C. lawmakers to take better care of the state’s natural resources.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the North Carolina Religious Coalition on Creation Care will meet with the General Assembly to push for action on global climate alterations. Following an interfaith conference with Pope Francis that drew scientists and religious leaders, they insist people in positions of power must do something about climate change.
“We are facing a serious conflict here in North Carolina,” said coalition leader Rob Coffin. “Our president (Barack Obama) just declared that there is no greater threat to our planet than climate change. At the same time my Orthodox church is saying, ‘Climate change is the challenge of our generation.’”
The coalition is advocating the need to bequeath a legacy for the next generation and calling for: increased forms of efficient energy, placing a fee on “dirty fuel,” purchasing local food, more electric vehicles with charging stations, and renewable energy sources.
“We are making war on the integrity of this planet,” said coalition member Jefferts Schori. “We were planted in this garden to care for it, literally to have dominion over its creatures. Dominion means caring for our island home.”
Said Amy Adams, a former regional supervisor for the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources “The potential impacts of climate change on people’s everyday lives is real and tangible. We must break down the obstacles that are deterring open communication on this critical issue. I believe that under scrutiny, the fences that we perceive separate our beliefs regarding climate change will fall apart, allowing for honest conversations about our common future. Science tells us what is happening.”
Additionally, coalition members emphasize the economic importance for addressing climate change. The state’s natural resources are key to tourism as well as recruiting and retaining businesses. “We in North Carolina are blessed with majestic mountains and beautiful beaches that have captured the imagination of millions of visitors,” said coalition member Don Addu. “Our natural beauty attracted over $20 billion in tourism in 2013, making it one of our largest industries. Climate change threatens not only our economy, but the very special places we call home.”
Seth Bible, professor of Christian ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, calls on Christian pathos for change.
“It is a duty of all Christians to care for what God has placed into our stewardship,” he said. “This has to include the air and the water, and it certainly has to include the stability of the climate.”
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