Declaration of Climate Emergency

On the basis that:

• the world is facing a severe crisis of environmental degradation and climate change that affects our ability to sustain human civilisation in its present form;

• the main cause of the crisis is our activity as human beings;

• the crisis is inextricably linked to global injustices, inequality and extinction of many species;

• the crisis indicates a failure of human beings, including our own failure as a church, to follow God’s mandate to care for the world and to seek justice among its peoples;

we, the leaders of St Mark’s Church, Harrogate, want to publicly recognise a Climate and Environmental Emergency, and commit ourselves to:

• repent of our own failure to follow God’s mandate to care for the world;

• examine our lives individually and corporately in relation to this crisis and seeking to live faithfully to God;

• bring forward by the end of 2023 an action plan to minimise our negative corporate impact on the environment and climate and to help restoration where possible;

• encourage our members to make relevant lifestyle changes appropriate to their circumstances;

• encourage action on this emergency in our neighbourhoods, workplaces and other spheres of activity;

• use whatever influence we may have to bring about positive actions by local and national government, corporations and other organisations.