Anglicans Speak on G20

Adapted from Anglican Communion News Service

Anglicans are speaking out before the G20 meeting that begins November 12 in Brisbane on a range of economic and development issues.

The G20 is a forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies that are said to account for around 85 percent of the gross world product, 80 percent of world trade and two-thirds of the world population.

On the sidelines of the meeting will be people from some countries not represented in the G20, reminding world leaders that global growth should not come at the expense of the world’s poorest people.

The Anglican Board of Mission reports that the Most. Rev. Winston Halapua, Archbishop of Polynesia, is asking the G20 to consider how it might work to minimize the effects of climate change already being felt by people in the Pacific Islands.

The Anglican Alliance Regional facilitator for the Pacific will also be in Brisbane during the event. Tagolyn Kabekabe works with communities in the Solomon Islands that are experiencing the erosion of their homelands, poisoning of their food gardens by salt water, and increasing exposure to extreme weather events.

Tagolyn represented the Anglican Communion, in particular those in the Pacific directly affected by climate change, at the C20 meeting, a civil society forum that met in June to inform G20 discussions.

The Most Rev. Philip Freier, Primate of Australia, warns global leaders that “failure to address these issues of economic security and justice will lead to more international conflict and reduce the possibility of human flourishing.”

ABM’s Greg Henderson has been organizing opportunities for people in Brisbane to meet Archbishop Winston and Tagolyn Kabekabe. He says it is important for Australians to recognize that climate change is a justice issue, “because its impact is being felt most seriously by communities who have the least power to address the causes of anthropogenic warming.”

According to the G20 website, the meeting’s agenda has been built around these themes:

  • promoting stronger economic growth and employment outcomes
  • making the global economy more resilient to deal with future shocks
  • strengthening global institutions to ensure they reflect the new realities of the global economy

Read the rest.

Image: Tagolyn Kabekabe and Archbishop Winston Halapua • Anglican Board of Mission photo

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