The Movement for Reform Judaism

On March 13, Bournemouth Reform Synagogue will host a groundbreaking gathering of delegates from 220 different faith communities in the region. The Conference aims to agree on a Bournemouth-wide faith response to climate change – with a firm commitment from communities to galvanise their members into action, to address the global environmental challenge.

Having received a grant from Bournemouth Council, Rabbi Neil Amswych of Bournemouth Reform Synagogue has organised the event in collaboration with Faith Links and The Bournemouth Partnership. It is hoped that the Conference will be attended by around 150 delegates from the 220 faith communities in Bournemouth and Poole. These will include representatives from more than 10 different religions including Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jews and Christians.

Rabbi Amswych explained that the Conference is a response to the report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published earlier this month: “We feel the urgent need to respond to the report on climate change. We must galvanise people in our communities to agree on practical changes in their use of energy, since domestic use is half of the problem and this is within our control. We can change our social habits and have a real impact.”

He added: “This Conference assumes that interfaith dialogue is the means to an end, not the end in itself. In other words, while theologies may be different, the general aims of those theologies are all essentially pointed in the same direction, so it makes sense for us all to work together on issues such as climate change.”

The Mayor of Bournemouth, Bob Chapman will open proceedings on March 13, followed by an address by Rabbi Amswych on why the Conference comes at a crucial time. He will outline the current environmental predictions, and suggest some ways that members of faith communities could respond. A presentation on the Earth Charter by its UK representative, Rabbi Jeffrey Newman, will set out reasons why faith communities should choose to adopt the framework. The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society for the 21st century.

Small groups of delegates will then meet to discuss what should be agreed in practice as a Bournemouth-wide faith response, with the final session aiming to cement a formal commitment from everyone and to decide whether the Conference should become an annual event, addressing a different element of the Earth Charter every year, such as human rights, eradicating poverty and education for all.

For further details, please contact:
Andrea Newman, Movement for Reform Judaism Public Relations Officer

Notes for Editors

• Created by the largest global consultation process ever associated with an international declaration, endorsed by thousands of organizations representing millions of individuals, the Earth Charter seeks to inspire in all peoples a sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The Earth Charter is an expression of hope and a call to help create a global partnership at a critical juncture in history. Visit www.earthcharter.org for more info.

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This is not Science but a dodgy politics
written by Yoni , March 12, 2007

I took a look at the Earth Charter Initiative but feel unable to commit to this document due to its internal incoherance, political immaturity and high dubiousness, specious arguments and worrying strong misanthropic tendancies. In a nutshell it seems to only be- yet another- tired rehash of the same old flawed 'anti-globalisation anti-capitalist' speil that has infected current discourse on environmental issues turning it into a political broadcast for a section of the body politic that is unmistakably unelectable. And overwhelmingly the discourse has become irrationallly Authoritarian.

That to one side for the moment any ecumenical talking shop needs to have something to talk about and perhaps the serious and (for Jews this should be extremely so) worrying flaws in the current morass of media hysteria and pseudo-science being inflicted on the general public.

So good luck with that.

Comment posted on behalf of Rabbi Jeffrey Newman, Earth Charter UK Representative
written by newmana , March 15, 2007

Thanks for the 'good luck' wishes that seem to suggest 'good luck in responding to such generalised comments'?

First, and most importantly, climate change is not 'dodgy science'. Even the problematic Channel 4 documentary did not suggest that it is not taking place. The programme merely made distorted assertions - since refuted, for example, in an article in the Independent (14.03.07) providing clear and comprehensive evidence - that the cause could be sun spots rather than being the result of human (mainly western) carbon emissions.

And that takes us to the second point. The Earth Charter is not anti-American, nor even anti-Western. It simply accepts that we in the West have the responsibility for having caused the problems and we are going to have to take the lead in dealing with them but with an attitude of realistic hope. The Earth Charter is a strong statement of prophetic Judaism, and the voices of Amos, Micah, Isaiah and many others can clearly be heard in it.

The meeting on Tuesday was extremely serious and concerned to find positive ways forward for faith communities in the Bournemouth and Dorset area.