US Evangelical leaders supported President Obama's climate change plan

More than 170 evangelical leaders have sent President Barack Obama a letter backing a Clean Power Plan that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-burning power plants.

The Plan, which is expected to be released this week, aims to cut carbon pollution by 30 percent from 2005 levels.

It is supported by the Evangelical Environmental Network (ENN), the Christian organization that has promoted the letter to the US President, signed by many important evangelical leaders.

The letter from evangelicals says that 230,000 "pro-life Christians" have also contacted the Environmental Protection Agency in support of the plan.

However, coal industry leaders have opposed to the plan, stating that it will increase costs and has a minimal effect on climate change.

“ONE OF THE GREAT MORAL OPPORTUNITIES OF OUR TIME”

The evangelical endorsement is the latest evidence of a growing movement among evangelicals who link their work against climate change with their emphasis on protecting the "health of our children and the unborn."

The letter comes ahead of a mid-August visit to the Vatican by leaders of the Evangelical Environmental Network to discuss climate change, the topic of Pope Francis' recent encyclical, Laudato Si.

Obama explaining his climate change plan /AP

"We recognize the serious impacts on our kids and all God's children worldwide", the Rev. Mitch Hescox, president and CEO of EEN, said. "More extreme weather, disease spread, increased smog, changing weather patterns, water and food scarcity make climate the greatest moral challenge of our generation", he added.

In their letter to Obama, the evangelical Christian leaders said "overcoming the climate challenge is one of the great moral opportunities of our time."

The faith leaders also see the Clean Power Plan as a way for the US to lead the global "clean energy revolution" as well as show the way on how to fight air and water pollution.

They believed that fully implementing this plan will create more jobs, protect children's health, and help poor nations vulnerable to climate change.

In 2012, EEN was criticized by some Christian conservatives for its support of the EPA's rules to reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

EEN joined the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Association of Evangelicals in saying a federal mercury standard would protect the unborn and infants.