Faith leaders deliver letter to Adani urging them to invest in solar not coal

Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders delivered an open letter to Adani Corporation’s Townsville office on the morning of April 18 opposing the proposed Adani coal mega-mine. Also present was a small crowd from the local area, some of them from local faith communities. The letter states their concerns regarding water, reef, climate and community with this proposed mega-mine.

A representative of the company came down and accepted the letter in person from the faith leaders, including Rev Dr Peter Catt (Anglican), Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black, Rev Alex Sangster (Uniting Church Minister) and two members of the Triratna Buddhist Order. The conversation was brief but amicable.

They held up a giant image of the Earth from space with the words “We all live here”.

The faith leaders oppose all new coal mining in the Galilee Basin, saying that it would have an unacceptable impact on water supplies, the global climate and the Reef. They stressed the need for good local jobs in North Queensland and that these would be better met through investment in solar.

The letter says that “grasping at short-term profits from a thermal coal industry in worldwide structural decline will not provide this” and that renewable energy is “booming”. The letter adds, “We are at a crossroads. One way lies destruction; the other way, sanity.”

The letter has a number of high-profile signatories including the President of the National Council of Churches, Bishop Philip Huggins, the President of the Muslims Australia, Dr Rateb Jneid, and Dean of the Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane, Rev Dr Peter Catt.

The letter was organised by the multi-faith Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC), which contacted Adani Australia last week to let them know the letter would be coming.

Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black said
“Dollar for dollar, renewables provide a lot more jobs than coal. The figures are very clear. Investment in renewables could provide all sorts of jobs, from fabrication to installation, operation and maintenance jobs as well as research, education and training. Mr Adani can do so much good, and right now he’s at an important crossroads.”

Rabbi Keren-Black said, “There is so little time left to act on climate change and so much carbon dioxide that would be emitted if mining went ahead in the Galilee Basin, this needs to stop being treated as a political issue and be recognised for what it is – simply a moral issue.”

Dean of Brisbane Cathedral Peter Catt said

“No one has looked at the combined effect of all of the nine proposed mines. They need to be considered together. We know already that Adani by itself has been granted unlimited use of water from the Great Artesian Basin. What happens when we get another eight mines?”

Uniting Church Minister Reverend Alex Sangster said
“The Great Barrier Reef is one of the wonders of the world. I want my daughters to be able to see it. We need to act together now to protect creation.”

Basing their work on the teachings of the world’s religious traditions, ARRCC holds that true prosperity cannot be created without care and respect for people and the environment. The letter states “For thousands of years, our traditions have taught us to care for the Earth. This responsibility is now extremely urgent. And it is those least responsible for this threat that suffer the greatest impacts of a warming climate.”

The letter cites global as well as local implications of coal mining in the Galilee Basin, saying it would “lead to many more bushfires, droughts, cyclones and floods both here and all over the world. Already we see the impending loss of the famous Great Barrier Reef, a place of magnificent beauty, full of life and astonishing colour, which has experienced back-to-back yearly coral bleaching.”

• Media enquiries: Thea Ormerod 0405 293 466 [email protected]

Media spokespeople

• The Very Reverend Peter Catt, Dean of Brisbane Cathedral, Anglican Church of Australia: 0404 052 494
• Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black, Board member, Jewish Ecological Coalition: 0449 758 715
• Reverend Alex Sangster, Uniting Church Minister: 0411 292 273