In what is believed to be a world first, 16 Australian faith communities representing the world's great religious traditions have united to speak out on climate change.

The climate change debate has tended to be dominated by the language of science. The 2006 Stern Report from the UK began to extend the discussion to the economic effects of global warming.

But for most of us, the fate of the planet as a result of global warming is really a moral issue. Climate change is ultimately about what it means for people - especially children - and the whole creation.