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A gift and a message from COP29

Global -

As Azerbaijan, the host of COP29, plans to expand gas production by up to a third over the next decade. Jamie Williams, Islamic Relief’s Senior Policy Advisor for Poverty Reduction has some questions.

The president of Azerbaijan, COP29’s host country, told the opening of UN climate conference last week that oil and gas are a “gift of God”.

What if, Mr President, oil and gas is God’s way of challenging us?  What if he has offered a temptation: The potential for short term riches, but with the eventual consequences of conflict, oppression and ravages on the environment, and eventually our very existence?

What if fossil fuels are God’s message that you can find a way to replace the destruction of living forests by turning to coal, then oil and gas to drive technological innovation, but that none of these resources should be used to excess? And each needs to be superseded in turn, oil and gas by renewable energies?

What if God is saying – I have given you the Earth but you must use your will to protect creation, posterity and justice. by using it wisely, and knowing when to stop, rather than digging deeper and deeper and destroying it all.

Author photo: Simon Chambers/ACT

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