The archbishop of Wellington Cardinal John Dew has joined with the leaders of other churches in New Zealand lamenting the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Accord on climate change.
“The decision of President Trump to withdraw from the Paris Agreement shows no concern for the rest of the world, nor for life for the long term. Pope Francis urges us to take this to heart in Laudato Si,” said Dew.
“All people, including the USA must see that the environment is not something outside of ourselves that we possess and with which we can do what we like. We all have a responsibility to care for our Common Home.”
Dew’s statement was included in a media release from the Churches Climate Network.
The Churches Climate Network includes Methodist, Anglican, Catholic, Quaker, Presbyterian, Salvation Army, members along with social and environmental justice organisations of the churches.
When Prime Minister Bill English met US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week he expressed New Zealand’s disappointment with Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the climate change accord.
Tillerson dismissed New Zealand’s concerns about the US withdrawal, saying it reflected the will of the American people. He defended the US record, saying it had cut emissions to 1990s levels.
“We have every expectation that records of performance will continue. There’s no reason it would stop just because we withdrew from the Paris climate accord.”
In his former role as chief executive of Exxon Mobil Tillerson had supported the Paris Accord – and had advised Trump to stay in the agreement.
In his blog about Tillerson’s visit Gordon Campbell wrote,”Tillerson’s sober re-assurances to PM Bill English that the US remains committed to global and regional engagement (on trade, climate change and mutual defence) count for very little.”
“Because on all such matters, President Donald Trump is listening far more closely to other, nationalist voices in the White House, such as his chief strategist Steve Bannon, and his policy advisor Stephen Miller,”
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