Gutow talks climate change, poverty and G-20

As the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh approaches this weekend, Jewish Council for Public Affairs President Rabbi Steve Gutow joined a 25-member coalition of faith leaders calling on world leaders to take up policies that help those in poverty help themselves.

Gutow specifically noted that leaders must realize that while climate change hurts those in poverty, policies to prevent climate change also harm the poor.

“Now we are going to look at the problem of climate change and those who are poor," said Gutow at a press conference. "We know this for sure. 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. 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."

“This question is of alarming gravity," he continued. "Our need to look at the potential problems of a rapidly warming and crowded world is a first priority need. What we know is that with the present financial downturn……anything that normally affects the poor will, as their numbers grow, affect them multiplicatively."

The JCPA’s full press release, with Gutow’s full remarks, are after the jump:[[READMORE]]

On the eve of the G-20 Summit, Rabbi Steve Gutow, president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), joined a coalition of 25 faith leaders to call on those participating in the G-20 to pursue policies and actions to help the hungry and poor lift themselves out of poverty.

JCPA launched the “There Shall Be No Needy Among You,” anti-poverty initiative in 2007 to urge local, state and national leaders to advance anti-poverty legislation and programs that help provide food, shelter, additional work and educational opportunities for the nation’s most vulnerable.  JCPA’s grassroots efforts have led to an increased national commitment to reduce poverty.

In his remarks, Rabbi Gutow specifically challenges G-20 leaders to be careful when discussing potential efforts to address global climate change, and be cognizant of the universal impacts their decisions will have on the lives of the poor.  But, as Rabbi Gutow warns, to “not deal with the additional burdens of the poor as we implement climate change efforts may be the most tragic moral failure most of us in the more-developed world will ever bear.”

Below are Rabbi Gutow’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

“I am Rabbi Steve Gutow, president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, an umbrella organization that works to achieve consensus public policy for 125 local organizations including the Pittsburgh’s Jewish Community and Public Affairs Council and 14 national organizations including all four religious movements in Judaism. One thing all of the Jewish movements are clear about is the need to work hard to prevent hunger and poverty in the world. In that pursuit we join with the great religious traditions in America and across the planet. I am particularly grateful to David Beckman and Gary Cook and Bread for the World for organizing this press conference today.

“Now we are going to look at the problem of climate change and those who are poor. We know this for sure. 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. 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.

“This question is of alarming gravity. Our need to look at the potential problems of a rapidly warming and crowded world is a first priority need. What we know is that with the present financial downturn……anything that normally affects the poor will, as their numbers grow, affect them multiplicatively.

“The precipitous rise in poverty and the environmental destruction of the planet are walking hand-in-hand. We must provide answers and come up with a meaningful path to solution for both. We must be smarter than we think we are. We must be able to handle two dilemmas at the same time. If we do not, our world and our children’s world is in grave danger.

“As I said, with or without climate change repair, the poor suffer the very most. Although the local effect of global warming is determined by geography, topography and other physical characteristics, the poorest nations, communities and individuals, who have the least capacity to respond, are likely to be hardest hit. Yields from rain-fed agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa could be reduced by up to 50% by 2020. Elsewhere, increased flooding will cause outbreaks of diseases such as malaria and cholera. I was speaking Sunday with a friend of mine from Mauritania who told me that cities in his beloved country are already being affected by flooding.

“Changes in precipitation patterns, subterranean aquifers, and the disappearance of glaciers will impact the entire biosphere, affecting water availability for human consumption, agriculture and energy generation globally and in the United States. Development NGOs estimate that it will cost upwards of $50 billion annually to adapt to these conditions.

“On the same track—fixing the climate will alo cost a fortune. In the United States, climate related events and even modest emissions reductions will place a burden on the poor. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by only 15 percent from 2005 levels will impose an estimated $750-$950 a year in added costs on the poorest fifth of the population. That is a lot of one’s financial resources when one is poor. And we are hoping for even greater reductions than 15% in greenhouse gas emissions. What hardship that will bring to the poor!

“Even more so will be the impact in less developed countries. Again, the poor countries will not only be put at greatest risk by the physical impacts of natural disasters and climate change, they will bear a disproportionately greater economic burden from any program to address climate change.

“Whatever we do to prevent climate change and surely if we do nothing—the poor will suffer most.  Just witness Katrina and the Tsunami. To not deal with the additional burdens of the poor as we implement climate change efforts may be the most tragic moral failure most of us in the more-developed world will ever bear.

“One more thing and this is a good thing. The Obama administration and many of the nations of the world, have recognized that creation of a good jobs—green jobs economy can, if done with the poor in mind, offer a path to wholeness. The world needs jobs that will not only repair the environment but will also repair the giant wound we all experience because of the impossible lives
of poor people. We must not only encourage these efforts country by country but we must insist
that nations increase their commitment to creating such jobs.

“In Judaism right now we are in the most reflective and holy part of the year. We are in these days of awe between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur the relentlessly demanding prophet Isaiah will ask us in the major prophetic reading of the morning service why we are fasting. He will say that we are doing so not to impress ourselves but rather because of a deep commitment to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. I know he will because he does this every year. I simply count on it. I think all of the world religions can feel comfortable in taking the great prophet’s words, look at the national leaders of the world, and say to them that as they deliberate, as they make decisions…that the poor and the hungry must be at the top of their considerations. I believe that Isaiah would smile and feel good about his mission if we were to follow his demands.

“Thank you and god bless you.”

On October 14 – 21, JCPA and Catholic Charities USA will coordinate 34 national faith organizations for the second annual interfaith week of action, “Fighting Poverty with Faith.”  This year’s theme, “Good Jobs, Green Jobs,” aims to set our communities on a path toward energy self-sufficiency while simultaneously fighting poverty. During the Fighting Poverty with Faith week, religious, civic and community-service organizations across the country will organize public events to promote sustainable job creation as an effective tool to combat poverty at events in scores of cities across the United States. 

More information on this year’s Fighting Poverty with Faith initiative can be found at www.fightingpovertywithfaith.com.