Halifax Minster will be hosting the next debate in the Minster Series next Friday, the 20th November, which invites Linda McAvan MEP, Chair of the European Commission for International Development and Climate Change, to discuss climate change in preparation for the upcoming summit in Paris.
The Revd Canon Hilary Barber, Vicar of Halifax Minster, says, “This next debate is part of the lead in to the UN Conference in Paris in December to agree the new Sustainable Development Goals for the next decade.”
The debate will provide an opportunity to engage local people in this important topic ahead of the summit which will see representatives from 196 countries meeting to sign a new climate change agreement – a huge step forward in carbon reduction across the globe.
The Revd Canon Hilary Barber says, “I strongly believe the Church should take the lead in bringing about informed debate on the subjects which really matter to society.
“It’s part of the Minster’s role as the gathering space for the whole community and its prophetic ministry.”
The key speaker, Linda McAven MEP, was appointed as the Chair of the European Commission for International Development and Climate Change in 2014.
Linda was initially elected as a Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber in 1998 and has also served as Labour's spokesperson on the Committee for the Environment, Food Safety and Public Health, making her one of the longest serving Labour MEPs.
2015 has been designated the European Year for Development by the European Commission and Linda has already attended the UN summit in New York in September which aimed to replace the Millennium Development Goals with Sustainable Development Goals.
She will also be heavily involved in coordinating the EU’s position at the UN Climate Change talks in Paris in November.
The discussion is free to attend and will take place at Halifax Minster on Friday 20th November between 6:30pm and 8:00pm – no ticket or place reservation is needed, just turn up on the day!
The Minster Series has been running for three years and each debate invites a key speaker to be supported by a local panel of people working in the subject field who will comment on what they have heard to instigate the debate.
The Revd Canon Hilary Barber says, “We have high profile speakers who come to talk about important subjects in society.
“When possible, we have an early bird at Calderdale College aimed at getting young people engaged in politics.”
The aim of the Minster Series is to ‘engage the people of Calderdale in the things which really matter’ while trying ‘to engage young people with politics and encourage their voice to be heard’.
For more information on this climate change debate and the Minster Series, please visit the Halifax Minster website, here: http://www.halifaxminster.org.uk/