Durkan debates climate change concerns with COI

Foyle MP Mark Durkan has met representatives from the Church of Ireland to discuss issues of global concern including climate change, emergency disaster relief and debt forgiveness.

The meeting, which lasted over an hour, was held in the SDLP representative’s constituency office in Derry’s Bishop Street.

It was organised by Christian Aid’s Education and Campaigns co-ordinator, Dave Thomas, who led the Church delegation.

Diocesan representatives who accompanied him at the meeting included Albert Smallwoods and Sylvia Donnell, from the Bishops’ Appeal committee; Rev Arthur Burns, Pastoral Assistant Glendermott and Newbuildings and Derry and Raphoe’s Youth Officer, Martin Montgomery.

Mr Montgomery told the MP the issue of climate change, in particular, was of huge interest and importance to young people in the diocese.

“This is about their future and their children’s future,” he said.

Members of the delegation shared their personal experiences from visits to countries such as India, Kenya and Mauritius, where they had witnessed the impact of climate change at first hand.

Mr Durkan explained he was sympathetic to many of the delegation’s aims, including securing ‘ambitious climate change outcomes’ at the Sustainable Developments Goals summit in September and the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change summit in November.

The Foyle MP said, though, that past summits had ended up fudging issues.

He said: “We need to get beyond ‘lip service’ (when it comes to protecting the environment).

“This issue requires a combined mobilisation across party lines and across regions.”

Mr Durkan stressed the burden should not be allowed to fall on poorer, less developed countries and regions.

He thanked groups such Christian Aid for “helping with that mobilisation” and for raising MPs’ awareness of constituents’ interests and concerns.