Global climate change reduces access to drinking water, limits access to food, and negatively impacts human health. A recent Congressional Black Caucus Foundation report says that the worst impacts of global warming fall harder on African-Americans than on anyone else in the United States. McClain says this is news to many church leaders. “They’re amazed because they didn’t know about global warming,” he said. “But when I tell them how it’s affecting African-Americans, their eyes light up.”

McClain notes that coal production and burning hurts African-Americans—in part because they have the highest asthmatic rate in the United States. In addition, in places like South Carolina, coal plants are polluting rivers with mercury—rivers where poor people and people of color fish for food.

Many church leaders are responding to McClain’s warning call. “The black church has always moved for change,” said McClain. More than 150 African-American clergy have signed the National Council of Church’s Faith Principles on Global Warming (read them at http://www.nccecojustice.org/climateprinciples.html). McClain is empowering leaders for additional advocacy, helping them draft letters to congress and op-ed pieces for their local newspapers. He says that this work is part of Christ’s call to the church. “The church must speak to this issue,” said McClain. “We have a mandate from Christ to take care of those who can’t look out for themselves? If the church isn’t doing it, who will do it?”

Contact: Mike McClain
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