Our Perspective
The climate crisis is the defining issue of our time. Capitalism has left out the health of the planet as a fundamental contribution to our economic well-being and has put at risk the survival of human life. With melting arctic ice, rising sea levels, devastating fires and floods, hurricanes and droughts, millions are already climate refugees. Human development is deforesting the planet, destroying habitat, contaminating water, leaving massive amounts of waste, especially plastics, leaving us with dead ocean zones and deserts that don’t support life. We are facing species extinction and ecosystem collapse. The most vulnerable people, (Indigenous people, Black people, people of colour and the world’s poor) are the most severely affected.
The CUSJ supports a deliberate and rapid transition from fossil fuels and nuclear power to renewable sources of energy including solar, wind, tidal, and geothermal. We support peaceful struggles against fossil fuel pipelines, as a form of resistance against investment in yesterday’s technology. We recognize the relationship between our actions to develop minerals and fossil fuels and the destruction and contamination of Indigenous lands and waters. We support actions to promote biodiversity, organic agriculture (including humane treatment of domestic animals), seed saving, water quality, sustainable forestry, and respect for Indigenous rights and self-determination.
Our Commitments
- Use our Unitarian voice to communicate the urgency of the crisis in our own forums (website and JUSTnews, etc.) and in communications with decision-makers.
- Support environmental struggles on the streets, under the CUSJ banner.
- Participate actively in coalitions who share our analysis and promote constructive proposals for systemic change.