NEWS Churches ring out environmental message to G8 leaders Many churches throughout Scotland will sound their bells on Thursday afternoon (7 July) as part of an international 'alarm for climate justice'. The campaign is supported by churches in Europe, North America, Africa, South America and Asia. Islamic Relief is also encouraging mosques to hold calls to prayer. One church taking part will be Juniper Green Parish Church, in Edinburgh where, as elsewhere, the bells will ring at the symbolic time of 1.45pm. Charles Godon, session clerk at Juniper Green commented: "The time of 1345 hours is symbolic because the G8 nations represent just 13 per cent of the world's people, but account for 45 per cent of the world's emissions of climate-changing pollutants. "During the G8 summit in Gleneagles the international environment group is looking for individuals and groups in Scotland, and throughout the world, to sound warning bells to try to wake the G8 leaders up to the fact that time is running out to tackle climate injustice. "At Juniper Green, the bell-ringing will be the focus of an hour-long opportunity from 1pm till 2pm for quiet reflection and prayer; people may come and go as they wish and prayer prompts will be available to help focus thoughts. This event and the many others like it will emphasise the need for action from world leaders to safeguard God’s creation and protect the livelihoods of the world’s poorest." Ends Wednesday 6 July 2005 nr/73/07/05 NEWS Prestwick churches to write to Blair as G8 leaders fly in Churches in Prestwick, in the west of Scotland, have written to Prime Minister Tony Blair to ask him to remember the plight of the world’s poor, when he and other world leaders fly in to Scotland – many of them to the town’s airport. Leaders at the G8 meeting in 2004 ©White House photo taken by Paul Morse In his letter, Rev Arthur Christie, minister of Monkton and Prestwick North Church speaks on behalf of the churches of all denominations in the town, saying: "We, in Prestwick, welcome the arrival in Scotland of the leaders of the world’s most powerful nations. As we have watched our airport being prepared for their arrival, protected by razor wire to keep out intruders, we have seen a certain symbolism there in respect of the unfair trade rules wherein we ‘razor wire’ our economies to keep the poor on the outside. "We have placed on every one of our nine churches a Make Poverty History banner in the hope that the leaders might see them, and know of our concern for the poor of the world. “We urge you to keep the issues of the Make Poverty History campaign at the top of the agenda at Gleneagles and we look forward to a future where we have trade justice and not free trade, where debt cancellation brings education and health, and where more and better aid is appropriately monitored. "Our hopes and the hopes of millions of poor people in Africa and elsewhere in the world, rest on you." Ends Wednesday 6 July 2005 nr/72/07/05 NEWS Moderator tells G8 rally: "Now is the time" for G8 leaders to act against poverty The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland today (Saturday) told the huge crowds gathered in Edinburgh that G8 leaders to back action now to free the developing world from poverty. He also asked the public not to shirk from any short-term cost that this might bring in the rich world. Speaking at the rally in the Meadows in Edinburgh just before he set off on the Make Poverty History march, the Right Rev David Lacy said that there could be "no more excuses" for the scale of world poverty, and aligned the churches with a call for more courageous political leadership on the issue during the UK’s presidencies of the G8 and European Union. The rally passes the Assembly Hall The complete text of Mr Lacy’s speech follows – please check against delivery: David Lacy, Moderator, addresses the rally "Timing is all for everything, from a golfswing to the eradication of extreme poverty. As for the latter, now is the time!"For all my time in the Church of Scotland, and for a long time before that, we have been calling for justice for the poor, for love of our neighbours throughout the whole world. Advances have been made, little victories won. But when - we have long wondered - when will we have a revolution of thought in the peoples of the rich North, a genuine opening of their eyes, the peeling cry for justice that overwhelms their leaders into costly action? Look at us gathered here and now. Look at those of us from all over the world praying and willing for change."Now is the time! "Now is the time – that is also the belief of all the leaders of churches and faith-based organisations that met in London on Wednesday, from both sides of the Atlantic. Together, we said this: 'For the first time in history, humanity possesses the information, knowledge, technology and resources to bring the worst of global poverty virtually to an end. What is missing is the sufficient and moral will…. We recommit ourselves and our faith communities to help generate that moral will at this critical historical juncture. We call upon President George Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair, and the other G8 leaders to provide courageous and costly political leadership by providing the resources and making the structural changes necessary to eradicate poverty.' "Now is the time! The Moderator (second from left) leads the rally with other religious and political representatives "Now is the time – because Britain chairs the G8 and assumes the presidency of the EU and we have leaders, Christians themselves, who have responded to our long-and-oft-repeated calls. We in the Kirk should be proud of our member, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, proud of his lead in the cancellation of debt which has culminated in the 100 per cent cancellation for 18 of the world’s poorest countries. Let us leave behind all fashionable cynicism about our politicians, and back them up with the political groundswell they need to do even more. And let us remember that this will cost us. It should cost us. The trade justice, debt relief and focussed aid for which we are calling won’t come for nothing. I heard someone on the TV recently saying: 'I’m glad they’re not asking us to put our hands in our pockets this time. I’m glad that it’s the governments who are being pushed to do something'. "No, it’s going to hit us in our pockets. Let’s still back up our politicians when the bill for the eradication of extreme poverty is handed to us in the form of higher taxes and higher costs of the goods we buy from abroad. There is no point in me campaigning to Make Poverty History if I’m unwilling to pay. Politics is the art of the possible. Our leaders need to know that when we call on them to bring about this revolution, it will be possible. "Now is the time – because we’re a third of the way through the period of time in 2000 in which we in the richest nations promised to halve extreme poverty by 2015 – and unless dramatic progress is made this year, we’re going to fail, and break that promise. "Now is the time – because the Kingdom of God is upon us, and He is going to have it on earth as it is in heaven. "No more excuses; no more delays; now is the time." Ends Saturday 2 July 2005 nr/71/07/05 NEWS Town at centre of G8 Summit hosts three day vigil for action against poverty The town of Auchterarder, which is right beside the venue of the G8 Summit, has built a replica of an African village, complete with an African church and a water pump, representing the work being done in the local community to provide clean water in parts of Ethiopia. All this is done as a very public reminder of what local churches believe G8 Leaders should be concentrating on when they gather up the road. The village has been built as a focus for a three day vigil of prayer by churches of all denominations locally. There will be continuous prayers said for the developing world starting on Tuesday night, with a service of dedication. Other events which the churches are running in the town include a 'global village centre in the town’s Finlayson Halls, with stalls from agencies including Make Poverty History, Tearfund, and Scottish International Relief. Meanwhile, a mobile cinema will be showing documentaries illustrating why the developing world needs a fairer deal from the rich world. Minister of Auchterarder Parish Church, Rev Michael Shewan commented: “Unlikely as it may at first seem, Auchterarder is very near the centre of world’s media and political attention this week. The events which the churches have organised aim to show that local people here are combining prayer, campaigning and practical support for the very people who the G8 leaders should be thinking about – the 50,000 people who die every day from poverty.” Ends Friday 1 July 2005 nr/70/07/05 NEWS G8 summit 'climate alarm' call: Public asked to back international call to action on 7 July Friends of the Earth Scotland today (Thursday 23 June) called on people in Scotland and across the world to send a message to the G8 leaders that time is running out to tackle climate change, by backing the international alarm for climate justice. The 'climate alarm' will take place two weeks from today at 13:45 (local time) on Thursday 7 July 2005 and is supported in countries in Europe, North America, Africa, South America and Asia. [see 1 below] In Scotland the 'climate alarm' has been backed by a number of groups including the Church of Scotland and Islamic Relief Scotland. The Church of Scotland is urging churches to ring their bells while Islamic Relief is encouraging mosques to hold calls to prayer. A special liturgy to accompany bell ringing has been written by the minister of Gladsmuir and Longniddry churches in Lothian. [see 2 below] During the G8 summit in Gleneagles the international environment group is looking for individuals and groups in Scotland, and throughout the world, to sound warning bells to try to wake the G8 leaders up to the fact that time is running out to tackle climate injustice. The time of 13:45 is symbolic because the G8 nations represent just 13 per cent of the world's people, but account for 45 per cent of the world's emissions of climate-changing pollutants. Duncan McLaren, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland said: "Rising sea levels, extreme weather and shortages of food and water will affect billions of poor people before this century ends. But most of the emissions come from rich countries. The G8 nations represent 13 per cent of the world's people but are responsible for 45 per cent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. That's climate injustice. "The G8 leaders are unlikely to venture far from Gleneagles when they meet there in July. But we can make sure they hear our demands. People all over Scotland and throughout the world will be sounding an alarm for climate justice at 13:45 on Thursday 7 July. Join in. Let everyone know you care, and help make world leaders take responsibility for the problems they have caused. Sound a climate alarm." Dr Donald Bruce, director of the Church of Scotland Society, Religion and Technology Project said: "Climate change is urgent. God's creation is being severely damaged. Lives and livelihoods of the poorest are being threatened. We in the rich countries are mainly responsible. The Church cannot keep silent. It is as simple as that." Habib Malik of Islamic Relief Scotland said: "The poorest of the poor are mostly innocent victims in this drama. The major cause of long-term climate change, fossil fuel combustion, is disproportionately the result of rich-countries. While taking action to cut their own emissions, rich countries must commit to added financial assistance to the poorer countries to enable them to respond effectively, or at least to cope with, the changes ahead." Ends Thursday 16 June 2005 nr/64/06/05 Note to news desks Contact details Friends of the Earth: Lang Banks on 0131 554 9977 or (pager) 07654 200937 Church of Scotland: Grant McLennan on 0131 240 2268 Church of Scotland SRT Project: Dr Donald Bruce 0131 556 0444 Islamic Relief Scotland: Habib Malik on 0141 423 3929 1. At 13:45hrs (local time) on Thursday 7 July Friends of the Earth is organising a 'climate alarm'. People across Scotland, and around the world,will sound warning bells to try to wake the G8 up to the fact that time is running out to tackle climate injustice. 2. The Church of Scotland is urging churches to ring their bells while Islamic Relief is encouraging mosques to hold calls to prayer. Both groups want supporters to signal to leaders of the richest nations of the urgency of major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and as an act of solidarity with across the globe stand to lose most from our profligacy. 3. Friends of the Earth's demands for the G8 include: * Agreement on the compelling scientific evidence showing that climate change is already happening and that urgent action is now required to substantially reduce emissions. * An agreement by G8 nations for specific, substantial and timetabled cuts in their domestic emissions of greenhouse gases. * Nations must take radical action at home in order to reduce the impacts of climate change, including a change in consumption patterns and a meaningful switch to the use of renewable sustainable energy sources. * G8 nations must stop promoting fossil fuel extraction in developing nations through international financial institutions such as the World Bank and export credit agencies. * G8 governments should immediately phase-in public finance for sustainable clean energy. 4. Friends of the Earth Scotland is a supporting organisation of the everyone campaign - an initiative from Scottish Environment LINK. Some 26 organisations with nearly half a million supporters have combined forces to push the environment, and specifically climate change, up the political agenda ahead of G8.