Churches must play a leading role in urging action on climate change, Friends of the Earth’s Executive Director Andy Atkins will say when he delivers the 2012 Operation Noah Annual Lecture at 7pm on Wednesday, 21st November in the Small Meeting Hall at Friends House, Euston, London.

Andy Atkins will speak on ‘Overcoming fossil fuel addiction – the next moral revolution?’ where he will challenge the churches and attendees to play their part in fighting for a low-carbon future.

“UK churches were at the forefront of historic campaigns to end the injustices of slavery and child labour. They must now show leadership in ending one of the biggest threats humanity currently faces – our addiction to fossil fuels.

“Without action, we are effectively breaking our social contract with future generations, sentencing those that come after us, our children, our grandchildren and their children, to climate chaos and all the social and economic consequences that this will cause.

“With UK energy policy standing at the cross-roads there has never been a more important time to act. Churches must join with us in calling for the Energy Bill, which will shortly be going before Parliament, to include targets to get us off our fossil fuel dependency and help build a safer, cleaner future for us all.”

Mr Atkins used to work as the Policy and Campaign’s Director at Tearfund, where he was one of a small group who set up the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign in 2005.

The lecture will be followed by small group discussion, questions and refreshments.