Support Stronger Mitigation Responses to Climate Change

We are all impacted by a changing climate. Climate change has resulted in fewer harvests, loss of livestock, stress on water resources, reduced income, food insecurity, and an increased need to migrate to find employment or flee natural disasters. These changes affect families and communities around the world, especially the most vulnerable, including women and girls.  

The impacts of climate change only hit harder in the context of continuing COVID-19, a worsening global food crisis, and growing conflict in already fragile states.

Yet, we see so many seeds of hope with MCC partners around the world responding on the ground, seeking to adapt to the changing climate through locally-led initiatives. Such initiatives speak into specific contexts, bringing together the unique needs and priorities from the ground up.

At MCC, we care about climate change because we love people and we love God’s good creation. We have the responsibility to care for creation – today and for future generations. As Jesus’ disciples, we are called to live constructively, peacefully and in interdependence with the natural world (Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:15). We are also called to confess and be renewed when we do not live as faithful caretakers of our Creator’s work, harming the environment or other people (Revelation 11:18).

For Anabaptists, reconciliation is at the center of our work. We join in God’s mission to make all things new – envisioning communities worldwide in right relationship with God, one another, and creation (Col. 1:20; Rev. 21:5).  

At MCC, we also believe in calling on our governments to support policies and practices that uphold such right relationships. This includes calling on Canada, as both a wealthy country, and one of the biggest per capita emitters of Greenhouse Gases, to support efforts in climate mitigation.

We are asking the Canadian government to create policies to mitigate – or reduce – the factors that cause climate change. This includes things like setting targets for lowering greenhouse gas emissions and encouraging renewable energy solutions. Canada has already committed to reducing emissions by 40%–45% by 2030, but a fair-share approach, considering Canada’s wealth and per capita emissions would be 60%.

The urgent situation in many communities around the world calls for more action now.

Join us by sending a letter to the Ministers of International Development and the Environment and Climate Change. We have provided a draft which you are free to use or adapt as you choose. These asks are also supported by For the Love of Creation (FLC), of which MCC is a member.

What’s next? If you would like to do more advocacy, also check out our letter-writing tool for stronger adaptation responses to climate change. 

Additional resources: MCC Climate Action for Peace Campaign