Think of poor when addressing climate change, Jewish leader advises

A Jewish leader called on world powers to take into account the impact on the poor of policies to prevent climate change.

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WASHINGTON (JTA) — A Jewish leader called on world powers to take into account the impact on the poor of policies to prevent climate change.

Rabbi Steve Gutow, president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, joined a coalition of 25 faith leaders in a press conference on the eve of the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh to emphasize both the importance of comabating climate change and acknowleding how those living in poverty would be affected.

"Climate change will wreak havoc on the lives of the poor and efforts to prevent it will, at least initially, also wreak havoc on the lives of the poor," he said. "We are here today to ask in god’s name that those leaders who make decisions look very carefully at the plight of those who suffer most and do what it takes to make special adaptations because of that plight."

The JCPA is the consensus-driven umbrella body for Jewish public policy groups.
 

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