Community members have been urged to lobby their local MPs over climate change.

The call came at the Board of Deputies’ first ever forum on the issue.

Synagogue members were also urged to raise climate change at meetings of their shul boards.

Emeritus rabbi of Finchley Reform Synagogue Rabbi Jeffrey Newman told the 70 people who attended that there should be a Jewish response to environmental issues.

“We need to work together. When the Jewish community takes things seriously we have enormous agency. We have tremendous capacity,” he said.

The Board has prepared pre-written postcards to be sent to MPs asking them to commit to sustainable development goals.

Veteran environmental campaigner Jonathon Porritt warned the forum of an “existential risk to humankind” while explaining some of the science behind climate change.

The event, on Thursday, was held in the run-up to the UN climate change conference at the end of the year.