State Campaign Coordinator Letter to President Bush

Interfaith Global Climate Change Campaign

April 3, 2001

The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

On March 6th, EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman wrote a memo to you on the issue of global climate change, noting: “For the first time the world’s religious communities have started to engage this issue. Their solutions vary widely, but the fervor of the focus is clear.”

As an expression of this resolve, senior American religious leaders wrote to you on March 29, 2001.

We write to confirm that Administrator Whitman's report is correct: engagement in the faith community is growing exponentially. There is a groundswell of conviction and resolve in the pulpits and pews of local congregations across the nation. This concern is not limited to single denominations or regions of the country. We serve as directors of “interfaith state climate change campaigns” and allied initiatives in 20 states, involving Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Orthodox Christians, Episcopalians, Evangelical Lutherans, historic Black Churches, Native Americans, Muslims, and a broad range of Jewish denominations – Conservative, Orthodox, and Reform. These congregations are in urban and rural areas, from the industrial regions and agricultural heartland, from New Mexico to Maine and Florida to Washington State.

We represent citizens who care deeply about the well-being of the planet and the security and safety of their own children. Indeed, the well-being of future generations is at the heart of religious concern here. The science is clear enough to oblige us to prevent the harm that may very well be inflicted upon future generations – and particularly upon the most vulnerable around the world.

For us, climate change represents the single most comprehensive challenge to all of God's creation here on Earth. It is a test of biblical covenant, a challenge of obedience to God's mandate of stewardship, and a standard of justice among all God's children.

Our faith does not lead us to the conclusion that the short term economic needs of Americans are greater than the long-term needs of our children and our neighbors around the world for a stable climate. We agree: first things should be put first. And the first thing for us is fulfilling our obligations to pursue justice and righteousness, recognizing that all humans stand equal before God.

We are not all equal, however, in the degree to which we are responsible for global climate change. With less than 5% of world population, we in the US are responsible for almost a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions – and our percentage of world emissions has been even higher in the past. Justice therefore demands that we who are most responsible for the problem take action and make progress, along with other developed nations, before we expect developing nations to act.

By failing here to be just, righteous, and prudent, we fail our children and we fail our faith.

We believe your presidency – and our nation as a whole – will be judged, among other things, by its legacy on this planet-wide challenge. Given recent decisions, we are concerned that a legacy of domestic inaction, international isolation, absence of consultation, and failure of statesmanship will prevail – rather than one of moral leadership, global engagement, and prudent action.

We recognize the complexity of this issue. We see the need for technological ingenuity, creativity of the business sector, assurance of jobs and just transition for impacted workers. Scientists will need to further document the risks we face and the impacts we must prevent. No adequate solutions will be possible, however, without political commitment and leadership.

We know much about what we will eventually need to do to address this challenge, and we should make investments in those things now as the center-piece of our national energy strategy: energy conservation, vehicle fuel efficiency, incentives for the development and use of highly efficient technologies and consumer products, and incentives for the transition away from heavy reliance on oil and coal toward cleaner renewable sources for electricity production and powering vehicles. These measures will not only help us to address climate change: they will help to address electricity supply problems; they will dramatically increase our energy independence; they will protect public health and the natural environment; and they will help spur a new wave of American economic growth and global technological leadership.

Given the enormity of what is stake with global warming and the lack of sufficiently compelling reasons not to adopt policies towards these goals, we believe that the most moral choice is to swiftly move to create a clean, sustainable 21^st century energy system.

We urge you to reconsider your decision on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants to quickly communicate to the nations of the world your willingness to adhere to mandatory and binding measures to curb global warming.

And we urge you to put before the nation an energy plan which addresses global warming. We hope your administration will note the groundswell of activity in the faith community. We feel obliged to express, in no uncertain terms and along with many throughout the world, our dismay at recent actions and statements by you and your administration. We will be communicating it to our members of Congress, US Senators, and local elected officials. Yet, we believe you have a rare opportunity for leadership here, and we stand eager to speak out on behalf of wise and prudent policy initiatives.

Respectfully yours,

Merriam A. Bass
Associate Coordinator, Georgia Interfaith Climate Change Initiative

The Rev. Ronald W. Botts
Director for Ecumenical Issues, Ohio Council of Churches
Coordinator, Ohio Interfaith Global Warming Campaign

Anne D. Burt
Coordinator, Maine Interfaith Climate Change Initiative

The Rev. Barbara E. Dua
Executive Secretary, New Mexico Conference of Churches
Coordinator, New Mexico Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Jenny Holmes, Campaign Coordinator, and Jordan Epstein, Co-Chair
Oregon Interfaith Global Warming Campaign

The Rev. John Hooper, Chair, and Kim Winchell, Coordinator
Michigan Interfaith Global Warming Campaign

Holly Killmer
Ecumenical Ministries of Iowa
Coordinator, Iowa Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Marcia Leitch
Coordinator, West Virginia Interfaith Global Climate Change Campaign

Sister Evelyn Mattern
North Carolina Council of Churches
Coordinator, North Carolina Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Shelley Means
Washington Association of Churches
Coordinator, Washington Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Bee Moorhead
Executive Director, Texas Impact: People of Faith Working for Justice
Coordinator, Texas Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

The Rev. Fred Morris
Executive Director, Florida Council of Churches
Coordinator, Florida Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Karen Roles
Minnesota Council of Churches
Coordinator, Minnesota Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Julia Sibley
Associate Director, South Carolina Christian Action Council
Coordinator, South Carolina Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Nancy Martin-Silber
Southwest Pennsylvania Coordinator, Pennsylvania Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

The Rev. Dr. Dave Steffenson
Director, Wisconsin Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Rev. Franklin E. Vilas, D. Min.
President, Partners for Environmental Quality, Inc. (New Jersey)

The Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith
Minister and Executive Director, The Church Federation of Greater Indianapolis
Coordinator, Indiana Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Lee H. Wallach
Co-Chair, The Los Angeles Interfaith Environmental Council

The Rev. Robert A. West
Coordinator, Colorado Interfaith Climate Change Campaign