Greater Manchester commits to action on climate change

Tony Lloyd, Mayor of Greater Manchester, Cllr Sue Derbyshire, Leader of Stockport Council, Bishop John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, Very Revd Rogers Govender, Dean of Manchester (representing the Bishop of Manchester), Revd Stuart Wild, Superintendent Minister, Manchester Circuit, Methodist Church, representing the Methodist District of Manchester and Stockport, Revd Charles Kwaku-Odoi, Senior Pastor, Command Ministries International, Manchester, Rev Bob Day, North West Synod of the United Reforme

Greater Manchester’s faith, civic and business leaders have committed to take action on climate change and help save the lives of millions across the globe.

Mayor Tony Lloyd, faith leaders from across Greater Manchester and Clive Memmott, Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, have signed a pledge to work together to reduce climate change.

The commitment comes ahead of Mr Lloyd attending the Global Climate Summit in Paris this week where world leaders are coming together to accelerate action in combating climate change.

Mr Lloyd said: “We all have a responsibility to tackle climate change and today faith and business leaders from across Greater Manchester have made a firm commitment to work with me and the GMCA - and local people – to change the way we go about our day-to-day lives to create a safe and secure planet for today, and future generations.

“In Greater Manchester, good work is already underway to reduce our carbon emissions. Paris is a crucial opportunity for this conurbation to demonstrate that we are serious about action on climate change and join world leaders in agreeing a way forward to reduce carbon emissions.

“Billions of people around the world agree that climate change threatens to undermine our way of life in ways we cannot predict. The impacts of rising food prices, rising sea levels, dangerous weather change and refugees on a huge scale and more will hit people hard right across the globe. Here in Greater Manchester we can’t stand idly by and wait for this to happen – we must take action.”

The Greater Manchester Low Carbon Pledge reads:

‘We recognise that immediate and significant action on climate change is needed to secure a safe and habitable world both today and for future generations.

We agree that there is a role for every individual and organisation in reducing carbon emissions to help prevent climate change destroying lives around the globe. 

We commit to work together, quickly dedicating our time and effort to act to make a real difference. We will substantially address our carbon footprints and we will use our influence to make acting on climate change part of the Greater Manchester way of life to create a better city-region for everyone.’

It has been signed by:

• Tony Lloyd, Mayor of Greater Manchester
• Councillor Sue Derbyshire, Leader of Stockport Council
• Bishop John Arnold, Bishop of Salford 
• Very Revd Rogers Govender, Dean of Manchester (representing the Bishop of Manchester)
• Revd Stuart Wild, Superintendent Minister, Manchester Circuit, Methodist Church, representing the Methodist District of Manchester and Stockport
• Revd Charles Kwaku-Odoi, Senior Pastor, Command Ministries International, Manchester
• Rev Bob Day, North West Synod of the United Reformed Church
• Revd Tim Presswood, Regional Minister, Pastoral – Baptist Church (NW Association)
• Clive Memmott, Chief Executive, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

It is also supported by:

• Revd Paul Martin, Chairman, Bolton and Rochdale District, Methodist Church
• Qadir Chohan, Chairman, Manchester Council of Mosques
• Imtiaz Hussain, Treasurer, Manchester Council of Mosques
• Yasmin Bukhari, Bridging Cultures Co-ordinator, Prevention & Protection Directorate, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service 
• Sharon Bannister, President, Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region 
• Louis Rapaport, Co-chairman, Hindu Jewish Association of Manchester 
• A.K. Sinha, Manchester Hindu community representative
• Archbishop Dr Doyé Teido Agama, Presiding Prelate and Executive Director, Apostolic Pastoral Congress, and Senior Pastor, Christian Way of Life Churches 
• Dr Girdhari Bhan, National Chairman of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Council of Hindus)
• David Arnold, previous President, Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region (and co-chairman of the Council of Christians and Jews, Manchester Branch)
• Imam Rashid Musa, Imam, University of Salford (Muslim Community)
• Suresh Mehta, Secretary, Board of Trustees, Jain Samaj Manchester (Jain Community)

This follows the signing of the ‘Under 2 MoU’, which commits city and regional governments to take action to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and help keep global warming below the two degree celsius limit scientists agree is needed to keep people safe from the dangers of climate change.