A  range of carbon lifestyle pledges were hung on the historic fig tree at Lambeth Palace today at an Interfaith Seminar on Environment & Sustainability attended by religious and political leaders and representatives of all major faiths. (pic James Gourley)

The pledges, which covered shopping, business practice, energy suppliers and travel as well as a green-friendly wedding and a commit to knit promise, were all hung on the 450 year old tree in the Palace gardens. The seminar was organised by the Church of England's national environmental campaign Shrinking the Footprint partnered by the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS).

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, the Chief Rabbi, Dr Jonathan Sacks and Lord Marland, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Energy & Climate Change all supported the event sponsored by the British Council.

Speaking today Lord Marland said: "I really applaud the different faiths working together to find practical ways of tackling climate change at national and community level.Stewardship of creation, concern for the world's poor and a responsibility to safeguard natural resources for future generations are moral and spiritual obligations found at the heart of all the major faiths. They are also at the heart of the climate change challenge.

"People of faith have much to contribute, leading by example, encouraging behaviour change and placing sustainability at the centre of our home, community and working lives. You also have an crucial role in encouraging religious and political leaders around the world to push harder to reach a binding agreement limiting global carbon emissions."

The seminar was a follow-on to a meeting of Faith leaders in 2009 that resulted in the land-mark Lambeth Declaration in the run up to the UN Climate Talks at Copenhagen.

Delegates renewed their pledge to the Declaration (attached below) during the seminar programme which included keynote speakers and workshops covering a range of areas relating to environment and sustainability: energy conservation & places of worship, the theological basis of environmental stewardship, using green spaces to enhance faith and community and education for all ages - including leaders.

David Shreeve the Church of England's national environment adviser said: "This is the second in a series of seminars which shows the crucial role of faith communities in environmental concerns at both local and national level.  We hope that the Lambeth Declaration will provide opportunities to share positive examples and experiences to benefit the way our faiths operate together."  

Notes
www.shrinkingthefootprint.org the Church of England's national environment campaign is chaired by the Bishop of London the Rt Revd Richard Chartres

Shrinking the Footprint interfaith video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmAbTkDBm3U

The Archbishop of Canterbury's previous lectures and statements on the environment http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/127

http://www.britishcouncil.org/new/ 

Lambeth Declaration

The Archbishop of Canterbury hosted a meeting of faith leaders and faith-based and community organisations at Lambeth Palace on 29 October 2009 to discuss the response of faith communities to environmental issues. As a result the meeting agreed The Lambeth Declaration.

Faith communities have a crucial role to play in pressing for changes in behaviour at every level of society and in every economic sector. We all have a responsibility to learn how to live and develop sustainably in a world of finite resources.
Building on the examples of local and international action to live and to work together The Lambeth Declaration calls on the faith community to:
 
build on the examples of local and international action to live and to work together sustainably,

share best practice and redouble our efforts to reduce emissions that result from our institutional and individual activities,

work with our partners, our sister churches and communities internationally to mitigate the effects of climate change on the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the developing world;

press governments to support that effort.

To help to achieve these ends we agree to use today's meeting as the first step in an ongoing process of collaboration. We believe our communities can be key agents of change and urge the Government wherever possible to support our efforts to build capacity and commitment to reduce carbon emissions, raise awareness and promote sustainable practice.