Call for sustainable energy alternatives on WED

With tomorrow, June 5, being celebrated as the World Environment Day, a leading church body is asking the Government to find more sustainable energy alternatives in India.

"The Government should seek more sustainable energy alternatives in line with the UN's call which will be echoed in the Rio+20," the National Council of Churches in India said in a statement last week.

About 1.3 billion people of the world's population lacks access to electricity, while 2.7 billion do not have clean fuel. In India, almost 400 million still do not have access to electricity.

Earlier this year, the United Nations secretary-general, Bank Ki-moon began the "sustainable energy for all" initiative, to ensure universal access to modern energy services, improve efficiency and increase use of renewable sources.

The United Nations is expecting some 120 heads of state and government to attend the Rio+20 meeting on sustainable development in Brazil in June, with a focus on developing a plan for implementation and action.

Energy is one of the seven focus areas for the 20-22 June Rio+20. The event will call upon the world leaders to develop a comprehensive plan for sustainable development.

The RIO+20 Summit in Brazil will also see the World Environment Day 2012 officially kicked off by the United Nations.

The 2012 theme for World Environment Day is Green Economy: Does it include you?

To spread awareness among churches, the NCCI, an apex body of the Protestant and Orthodox churches, is encouraging its member units to deliberate on the WED theme through special services, community activities, symposium, and other ecumenical activities.

The recently concluded XXVII Quadrennial Assembly of the NCCI declared that the member churches of the ecumenical body are "concerned about the injustice and suffering caused by environmental degradation and climate change".

NCCI has also developed Eco-Justice Ministerial Policy Guidelines and is pro-actively facilitating the member churches to be "caring and just stewards of God's created Earth".