Three Gilmore church ministers have asked both the Liberal candidate Andrew Constance and the sitting MP Fiona Phillips to come out in favour of a target of cutting emissions by 50 per cent by 2030.

Reverends Kath Merrifield (Kiama-Jamberoo Uniting Church), Linda Chapman (St John’s Anglican, Moruya) and Andrew Watts (Berry Uniting Church) are disappointed that both have declined.

Mr Constance has said that he would push his party for a stronger target but told a faith delegation that he won’t say by how much.

“Andrew Constance talks about climate action but is very vague about the follow-through” said Rev Merrifield.

“He speaks passionately about his commitment to climate action and says his own party’s target is not strong enough and that he will push his party for a stronger one but won’t say how much stronger.

“Right now his party’s target is barely half of what is needed, so the exact number really matters,

“The Coalition has a target of cutting emissions by 26 to 28% by 2030 while Labor’s target is 43%.”

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has said that the world needs to cut emissions by roughly 50% by that date.

The sisters at Jamberoo Abbey are urging action too

“We would really like Fiona Phillips to push for a stronger target too. However, it is the policy of the current government that is truly heaven and earth away from what is needed. We’re simply asking Mr Constance to have the courage to say what level of improvement is actually needed,” said Rev Chapman.

The call for halving emissions by 2030 echoes the statement at Easter by senior Christian leaders, including archbishops, heads of churches, bishops and deans.

“We are deeply concerned to make sure that the climate crisis is something that is above politics and that all parties are very serious about,” said Rev Chapman.

“Right now we have the problem that one of the major parties is not taking climate change seriously, so we need to be honest about that. And its local candidate has ruled out saying how much he’d like his party to improve by.

“Since they are such a long, long way from where they need to be, this isn’t a small thing. It’s absolutely crucial. This is actually just a matter of loving one’s neighbour and caring for God’s creation.”

Ten churches around the electorate are demanding stronger climate action by 2030 with banners over their churches

“This is a physical demonstration of the strength of feeling in the community and among everyday people of faith,” said Rev Watts.

“If we don’t want to see the fires and the floods happen more and more often, we need to act decisively this decade.”