While we may understand the creation and evolution of our planet in different ways, we stand together in the knowledge that we face a global catastrophe through the damage we are continuing to inflict on this planet, our common home.
We acknowledge that, as a global family, we through our daily lifestyles are imposing suffering on our brothers and sisters, particularly in the global south, who are most directly affected by climate change and who have done least to cause the damage.
We also acknowledge the growing disruption to seasonal change by floods and unprecedented temperatures in the United Kingdom.
We urge governments and businesses to promote radical yet just change to decrease carbon emissions, restore ecosystems and promote healthy environments on a universal scale.
At the same time, we recognise that each and every one of us has the opportunity and the duty to make small but significant adjustments to our daily lives.
By acting together, witnessing in different ways to our diverse religious beliefs, we can and must make an important united impact in repairing the damage we are doing to our world.
/ends
Signed by
Christian (Presidents of Greater Manchester Churches Together who live within Greater Manchester)
From the Church of England:
Rt Revd David Walker (Bishop of Manchester)
Rt Revd Mark Ashcroft (Bishop of Bolton)
Rt Revd Mark Davies (Bishop of Middleton)
Very Revd Rogers Govender (Dean of Manchester)
From the Catholic Church of England and Wales:
Bishop John Arnold (Bishop of Salford)
From the Methodist Church:
Revd Andrew Lunn (Chair, Manchester and Stockport District)
Revd Paul Martin, (Chair, Bolton and Rochdale District)
From the United Reformed Church:
Revd Brian Jolly, (Moderator of the North Western Synod of the United Reformed Church)
From the Baptist Church:
Revd Tim Presswood, (Regional Minister for Church Life, North Western Baptist Association)
From the Salvation Army
Major David Taylor (Divisional Leader, Central North)
From the Christhouse Bible Church:
Bishop Theophilus Akano, (Bishop, North Manchester, under Apostolic Pastoral Congress; Principal/Rector of Rhema Bible Institute UK)
Buddhist
Venerable Miaodi SHIH (Director of International Buddhist Progress Society, Manchester)
Hindu
Dr Kaushik Chakraborty (member from World Council of Hindus; vice-chair, Altrincham Interfaith Group)
Dr S Sinha (Indian Senior citizen centre)
Ms Nidhi Sinha (Member of Hindu Community & Co-Ordinator of Sangha)
Jain
Mr Suresh Mehta (Chair of Board of Trustees, Jain Samaj Manchester)
Jewish
Mr Jacky Buchsbaum (Chair of Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region)
Mr Russell Conn (President of Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region)
Mr David Arnold M.B.E. (Co-chair Council of Christians and Jews, Manchester)
Mr Jay Charara, (Co-Chair, Hindu-Jewish Association Manchester)
Muslim
Mr Qadir Ahmad Chohan (Chair, Manchester Council of Mosques)
Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar (Welfare Officer - Manchester Council of Mosques (MCOM))
Mr Aftab Ahmed (Member of the Muslim Community)
Imam Rashid Ali Musa (Faith Advisor, Chaplain, Lecturer, University of Salford)
Mrs Assia Shah (Chaplaincy, Northern Care Alliance)
Mrs Nilofar Siddiqi (Member of Sufi Muslim Community)
Sikh
Mr Jagtar Singh Ajimal (General Secretary, Indian Association Manchester)
Faith Network 4 Manchester
Revd Charles Kwaku-Odoi, Co-chair