Climate change campaign - Christian Aid

We hold a vision of a better world, free from poverty and climate change. Where everyone has enough to eat, and can live without fear of their home being destroyed.

But right now, millions of the world’s poorest people are feeling the worst impacts of climate change, and experts predict more floods, drought and extreme weather patterns to come. For those living in poverty, this means more hunger, conflict and insecurity, and a more uncertain future for us all.

Take part in our campaign

Christian Aid position on the global climate strikes

We stand alongside the youth strike movement and encourage people of all faiths and none to support the mobilisations on 20 September.

Kolaghat thermal power station in West Bengal

The Big Shift

Call on HSBC to help combat climate change by moving money out of fossil fuels and into renewable energy.

What we’re aiming for

At the moment, money from government subsidies, investments of churches and pension funds, and our own bank accounts supports the fossil fuel industry and continues to fuel climate change. We need to make the Big Shift away from fossil fuels and into renewable energy so that we can build a cleaner, safer world. And money is key!

Latest update

Since we began the Big Shift campaign in 2015, the UK government has agreed to phase out coal power, over 5,500 churches have switched to clean energy, Standard Chartered have ruled out funding for all new coal projects and RBS have announced a phase-out of project finance to all new coal power projects and thermal coalmines. We’re making progress!

But while private banks continue to use their funds to invest in fossil fuel projects, we’ll never reach the cleaner and safer future we need.

That’s why we’re asking HSBC to make the Big Shift away from fossil fuels and into renewable energy. Incredibly, they are still willing to fund new coal – the dirtiest fossil fuel – in three countries vulnerable to climate change.

Email them now to tell them to stop funding climate change.

Who can stop climate change? We can. We have a responsibility to do so that began when God commanded the earliest human inhabitants of the Garden of Eden to 'till it and keep it'. To keep it; not to abuse it, not to destroy it

- Desmond Tutu.

Our climate campaign so far

Communities in Burkina Faso are struggling to cope with the effects of climate change.

2007

Evidence from our partners shows that climate change is rendering traditional methods to tackle poverty inadequate. In Burkina Faso, for example, approximately 250,000 families rely on water from the Louda Dam, but there has been very little in it over the past few years as a result of changing weather patterns. We predict that by 2020, climate change could leave up to 250 million more sub-Saharan Africans in poverty.

Hundreds of campaigners take part in our Cut the Carbon march. The following year, the UK government passes the Climate Change Act – the world’s first act to contain legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions.

Christian Aid campaigner supports action on climate change at The Wave march in London.

2009

Ahead of the Copenhagen climate talks, 50,000 campaigners demonstrate support for action on climate change at The Wave climate march in London.

Campaigners call for the government to make it compulsory for companies to be open about their own carbon emissions.

2010

We call on companies to come clean about their own carbon emissions and for the UK government to make sure this transparency is enforced by law. Finally, in 2012, they announce that carbon reporting will become mandatory by law.

Campaigner in stunt to support the Kyoto Protocol – drafted to ensure that national climate targets are legally binding.

2011

At the climate talks in Durban, we campaign for, but ultimately fail to save, the Kyoto Protocol – a key piece of legislation drafted to ensure that national climate targets are legally binding.

Thousands of churchgoers attend Bearing Witness in Manchester, calling on the new government to keep its promise to be the greenest ever.

Alongside Tearfund and CAFOD, we continue to support the church to be at the heart of the climate movement in the UK. At our Bearing Witness event in Manchester, thousands of churchgoers call on the new government to keep its promise to be the greenest ever.

Campaigners call for the World Bank to stop funding coal power stations in middle income countries.

2012

After years of campaigning, we finally help get the World Bank out of funding coal power stations in middle-income countries.

The People’s Climate Marches are held worldwide as the UN meets for a special climate change summit in New York.

2014

The People’s Climate Marches take place around the globe as the UN meets for a special climate change summit in New York. These are the biggest climate marches the world had seen to date.

Archbishop Sentamu welcomes Filipino climate activist Voltaire Alferez to address the York Synod on the effects of climate change.

During the Hunger for Justice weekend, churches lobby MPs to put climate at the heart of party manifestos ahead of the 2015 General Election. In York, Archbishop Sentamu welcomes Filipino climate activist Voltaire Alferez to address the York Synod about climate change.

Thousands of Christian Aid supporters take part in the Speak Up lobby of parliament on climate justice.

2015

Thousands of Christian Aid supporters take part in Speak Up – the biggest ever lobby of parliament on climate justice. More than 330 MPs hear our demands that the newly elected government take action on climate change.

Campaigners push for government to abandon coal.

We see great strides in climate campaigning as the UK announces a phase out of coal in October 2015.

In 2015, the biggest UK climate march ever takes place in London as part of a weekend of action worldwide.

In November, the biggest UK climate march ever takes place in London as part of a weekend of marches for the climate around the world.

Climate campaigns banners draped at bottom of Eiffel Tower.

A historic deal at the UN climate talks in Paris has the potential to be a new dawn for climate campaigning.

2016

Over 5,500 churches, including 15 Anglican cathedrals, switched or registered to switch their energy provider to a 100% renewable energy provider.

Big Shift petitioners outside RBS Cardiff

2018

RBS announced a phase-out of project finance to all new coal power projects and thermal coalminers. They also announced 10 billion for renewable energy.

Standard Chartered agreed to stop funding all new coal projects thanks to some targeted campaigning in coalition with partners around the world.

How can you help?

Sign up for campaigns emails

Join a movement of people working together to create a better world.

Become a local lobbyist

Influence government by regularly meeting your local politician

Donate

Give to support our vital work

A cleaner future is possible

Fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) need to be left in the ground if we are to protect God’s earth. But governments and institutions (including the banks that hold our current accounts) still have money tied up in their extraction.

Now more than ever, we need to put our money where our prayers are, and make the big shift from dirty fossil fuels into clean energy for a better future for everyone.

Looking for press information?

Contact our press team by email or on the 24 hour press duty phone: +44 (0) 7850 242 950.

Climate change