Climate Change - Comment by Canon Ian Ellis

In a statement issued on 11th June, the World Council of Churches – of which the Church of Ireland is a member-Church - expressed its “ deep disappointment” at the United States' withdrawal from the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change action.

The US withdrawal was announced by President Trump on 1st June, but swiftly after that announcement, the Governors of the a number of states – including California, New York and Washington - established the 'United States Climate Alliance' nonetheless to press ahead with the goals of the Paris Agreement. They were joined by a range of city mayors and business leaders. However, the Paris Agreement itself stipulates that this withdrawal cannot take effect before November 2020 – in fact, one day after the US presidential election of that year. So, quite how this all works out remains to be seen.

The Paris Agreement is also known as 'COP21' - the 21st 'Conference of Parties' to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). There were 195 participating countries, along with the European Union.

Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary UNFCCC, commented of the Paris Agreement at the time of its passing by international consensus: “It is an agreement of conviction. It is an agreement of solidarity with the most vulnerable. It is an agreement of long-term vision, because it is an agreement of commitment to turn this new, legal framework into the engine of safe growth for all for the rest of this century. It is an unequivocal clarion call to the world."

The WCC's 11th June statement says that the US withdrawal would have “grave consequences for the impoverished and vulnerable, for our children's children, and for the entire planet, putting at risk people's access to clean water, food, shelter and secure livelihoods, and undermining efforts for environmental sustainability and for peace”.

The Met Office points out that the planet faces a range of scenarios depending on the level of continuing emissions of greenhouse gases - gases that trap heat in the atmosphere - and that the severity of long-term climate disruption depends on future emissions. It is recognised that urgent action is needed for the wellbeing of future generations as the heating of the planet is causing sea levels to rise and many areas face drought.

It is good to see that there are so many people in positions of leadership across the United States who remain committed to the Paris Agreement goals and, while President Trump has expressed a willingness to re-negotiate the terms of the Agreement, this seems most unlikely to happen. The Agreement that was reached in Paris in 2015 allows flexibility – in fact, that was the key to its success. Professor David Victor, of the University of California at San Diego, has commented that the Paris Agreement's “pledge-and-review system helped transform climate diplomacy", making it easier for national governments to tailor their commitments to what they know they can deliver at home.

There does not appear to be either the scope or the opportunity for a re-negotiation of Paris 2015. Also, crucially, there really isn't the international will.

At last month's General Synod of the Church of Ireland, the ongoing development of the Representative Church Body’s environmental policy was highlighted, along with the RCB's newly revised policy on climate change. The RCB also accepted a motion on climate change proposed by Stephen Trew, of the Diocese of Dromore, as part of the RCB’s commitment to investing in funds to help the transition to a low carbon economy - that is, an economy based on minimum greenhouse gas output. The Church of Ireland's investment arm is clearly aware of the critical issues surrounding climate change and has shown itself to be proactive in the right way.