200 cyclists have arrived at Baku, Azerbaijan, having cycled almost 4,000 miles from Paris. We need their passion to be matched in the committee rooms where delegations are hammering out compromises to rescue COP29. The Azerbaijan COP has been described as the ‘climate finance summit’ but …
COP29 – which narrative will prevail?
This is the first of a regular update from COP29. The last two days have given us high-profile media displays as world leaders gathered to set the tone for the next two weeks. Here are two quick observations on the opening session. The UK provided a welcome highlight at the start of …
Church Leaders’ Statement before COP29
Our Churches are committed to caring for creation and to tackling climate change. We lament the increasing frequency and severity of devastating hurricanes, flooding and droughts, and the impact they are having on people. Record temperatures and low rainfall have impaired food security, …
What must we see at COP29, Baku, Azerbaijan?
We are days away from one of the most important events of the international calendar – the COP Climate Summit. Countries can take actions independently but it is only by setting goals and implementing actions together and agreeing to be accountable for those actions, that we can hope to drive down …
Looking at the Government Budget
Reflecting on the Budget The Let’s End Poverty campaign, which many churches are supporting, had called for a Budget that prioritised the poorest. This was not it. Everyone in the UK, including the least well off, will benefit from the increased spending on public services, which will certainly …
Autonomous weapons
Autonomous weapons might seem like the far-off stuff of sci-fi and dystopian pop culture, but autonomous weapons in various shapes and sizes, are being used and developed across the world. This raises serious issues and concerns over ethics, responsibility and the law, which emphasise the need for …
The Future of Arms: Blockbuster films or the new reality of war?
When I was growing up, my Dad believed that it was his duty as our father to ensure that my brother and I received a robust and culturally rich education. That is to say, he made sure that we were brought up watching the Star Wars films. This meant that Luke Skywalker, Yoda and Jaja Binks were some …
Getting Political Beyond the Ballot Box
How might Christians and Church communities engage with politics in the months and years after the General Election. Steve Tinning It’s been over 3 months since the UK General Election – a momentous election that saw a dramatic change in the make-up of the Westminster Parliament. For some of …
Challenge Poverty Week
Challenging Poverty The story of the past decade has been of steadily increasing poverty alongside rapid deepening of poverty. As we enter Challenge Poverty Week it is important to understand what we mean by poverty and destitution, what its consequences are and why it can …
JPIT at Greenbelt
The Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) joined up with Citizens UK during three workshops at Greenbelt Festival (22-25 August) to encourage and equip churches who are seeking justice in their neighbourhoods. In the wake of riots in cities in the UK where racism, antisemitism and islamophobia were …