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A Climate Sunday service script

You are here: Home / Season of Creation / A Climate Sunday service script
  • This resource was written and compiled by Sally Staniforth, Guildford URC and reproduced here for the Season of Creation 2021
  • This work may be shared freely, with attribution, without modification

This service was put together for Guildford United Reformed Church’s Climate Sunday service in July 2021. It is suitable for congregations where discussion can be facilitated, including online, in person or a hybrid of the two. It includes an Ignatian-style meditation. You may wish to use it as a starting point for your own Climate Sunday service and adapt it for your own context.

A resource sheet full of bitesize information for distribution before the service is available.

Download resource sheet [PDF]

Welcome and outline of our service

Today we will be exploring our relationship with the world we live in, through songs, Bible readings, a short video and a time of personal reflection. There will be opportunity to meet with Jesus and to share our thoughts. Towards the end of our time together we will have a time of intercession.

Introduce Creation Sunday

Churches across Britain have been holding Climate Sunday services as a means of drawing our attention to the need for God’s family to take responsibility for the care of the Earth that God created. In November this year, Britain will host the UN’s climate talks (COP26), so now is the time for us to encourage our politicians to take faster, and truly meaningful, action to reduce our carbon footprint and give the Earth an opportunity to heal.

This service is not intended to point a finger, or make anyone feel guilty or judged. It’s a time to contemplate as we are encouraged to turn our attention to our God-ordained place in, and relationship with, the Earth.

The Lord set in motion an eco-system that was naturally balanced so that all living things could benefit and thrive, each connected to and reliant on the others. Since the Fall, that perfection has been broken. But the birth of the Industrial Revolution began an ever-increasing level of misuse of resources, pollution and destruction across the globe. Not only have species been lost and land laid waste, but millions of our siblings in the developing world have been, and are, suffering as their lands are parched and they and their livestock starve. The resource sheet includes a case study at the bottom which briefly explains how the life of a woman in Ethiopia called Orbisa has been affected.

Each of us probably knows a little about conservation, eco systems and pollution, but perhaps few of us have studied or investigated the issues in depth to gain real knowledge.

We may avoid buying products cased in plastic, where possible; we may walk, cycle or use public transport when we can; we may sort our rubbish and recycle as much as possible, all of which is good. Some would say it makes little difference, but if nothing else it serves to keep us aware of our need to do something, and it reduces the amount of non-recyclable plastic being sent to distant countries, where it clogs rivers, kills fish and devastates the livelihoods of many poor families.

Perhaps the more recent fires, floods and prolonged doubts that the ‘first world’ has begun to suffer, plus the ravages of a deadly virus that has brought our proud economies to a standstill, will serve to wake us up to the crisis the natural world, including human beings, is facing – the Climate Emergency we must recognise and address.

Prayer

God of all creation,
your goodness and glory
shines through everything you have made.
Through the light of faith,
help us to see this world, our common home,
not as a resource to dominate and exploit,
but as a gift to be cherished by all generations.

Prompted by your Spirit,
and in honour and worship of you,
may we be willing to change our ways,
and passionate about caring for the Earth
you call us to take care of.

We ask this in the name of Jesus,
through whom all creation was made.

Amen.

Song

Creation sings the Father’s song

Readings

Voice 1: Genesis 1
Voice 2: Genesis 2:1, 5-9a, 15, 19

Song

If the fields are parched

Sermon

Bible Study by the Revd David Coleman,
URC Special Category Minister, Chaplain to Eco-Congregation

Any comments? A moment to reflect

Introduce the meditation

The Ignatian meditation style we are about to use is based on a course called ‘Take Time’. It begins with a relaxation exercise which prepares us to hear Jesus speak through one of his parables.

Explain the meditation

Begin by making sure that you are sitting comfortably with your back supported by your chair.

The session will commence with a simple relaxation exercise and then I will then count us down from 10 to 1, into a state of relaxation.

This will be followed by a guided Ignatian style meditation in which we imagine an encounter with Jesus. Even if you know very little about Jesus, your imagination will fill in the gaps.

I will then explain how you can spend the following several minutes, either resting in God’s presence or returning to the story.

Don’t worry if your mind wanders. Often it wanders to places that bring insight or healing. If it wanders somewhere unhelpful, gently bring it back.

At the end of the meditation, I will bring you back to this time and this place by counting back up from 1 to 10. The session finishes with a few minutes of gentle music.

Begin the meditation

Closing our eyes, we breathe through the nose and out through the mouth. We start at the top of our bodies, and let any tension we are holding on to in our muscles ease away. Working our way through our eyebrows, our mouths, our necks, arms and fingers, legs, until we reach our toes.

[Count gently from 10 down to 1].

The meditation today is based on the parable of the talents.

When you hear the word ‘talents’ used, think of them instead as being each servant’s sphere and level of influence in their everyday life.

Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives when and his disciples came to him with questions about the end times.

Imagine yourself amongst them, surrounded by olive trees, feeling the warmth of the air and looking at Jesus as he tells a parable.

[Read Matthew 25:14-30]

The other disciples move away a little to consider the implications of what they have just heard, but you remain where you are. Jesus turns and comes over and sits by you. He looks at you.

Be conscious of Jesus’s presence beside you. In the silence of this moment, hear him as he invites you to share with him whatever is in your heart and whatever is on your mind. Take the opportunity now to share with him.

[Pause for one minute]

And now, listen as Jesus responds to what you have shared with him.  Just be open to his response, whether it be in actions, or as a feeling, or an image, or in words. Hear him speak your name [pause 3 seconds] and wait for his response.

[Pause for 30 seconds]

Contemplation

Hold on to anything that Jesus has shared with you, hold on to your feelings, and either:

  1. Be still in God’s presence, resting in the warmth of His love, gently bringing yourself back to that place of peace each time you notice your mind has wandered, or
  2. Return to the story and ask yourself who you might be, how that might feel and what is God showing you through that experience.

So, either rest in God’s presence or return to the story.

[Pause for 2 to 10 minutes depending on the time available]

Now, very gently and very slowly, bring your thoughts back to this time and this place as I count us back up from 1 to 10.

One [pause 3 seconds], two [pause 3 seconds], three [pause 3 seconds], … ten.

Music for reflection (played quietly during time of sharing)

Does anyone feel able to share anything from their time with Jesus?

Respond as the Holy Spirit leads.

Song

Creation calls

Prayers of intercession and The Lord’s Prayer

Final song

He’s got the whole world in his hands

Blessing

To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfil by his power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

(2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; 2:16-17, NRSVA)

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Eco-Congregation Scotland

Latest ‘Environment’ posts

  • How can we respond to COP27?

    COP27, the UN’s climate conference in Egypt, came to a close at the weekend. It finished with some encouragements as well as disappointments. Hannah and Steve spent 10 minutes chatting through a roundup of what happened in a new episode of our podcast – click here to listen. Whilst COP27 might be over, we know that the work to achieve climate justice carries on in so many ways. But in the face of climate disaster and disappointing inaction from governments across the world, we might feel that we are unable to make enough change on our own. However, we can always choose to respond in hope and love, knowing that God cares about us and our world. So, here are a few suggestions of how we could respond practically to the news from COP27: Loss and Damage Action: Hear the stories The main success story from COP27 was the pledge for a creation of a Loss and Damage fund to financially support lower-income nations who have been disproportionately affected by the climate crisis. This fund would be paid for by wealthier nations, who have historically been the biggest polluters. This is something JPIT and activists we work with were really hoping and praying for, so we’re delighted to see this as one of the main pledges from the summit. However, as Christian Aid’s Joab Okanda describes in his statement, ‘the devil will be in the detail and we still need to see it filled with money’. We still need to see the fulfilment of this pledge, and the practicalities should be driven by the stories of communities most affected by the climate crisis. Why not read some of Christian Aid’s Loss and Damage stories, and pray about a specific person, community or area on your heart? Or perhaps you could download their resources and engage your wider church community with praying and campaigning for the Loss and Damage fund to become an effective reality. Emission and reduction targets Action: Write to your MP Perhaps the most disappointing outcome from COP27 is the lack of clear movement on reducing the use of fossil fuels. Due to the structures and systems of the world economy, this requires a huge amount of cooperative change which seems unlikely in the world we live in. As Steve Hucklesby described in his blog last week, many nations earn large amounts of revenue from oil and gas and want to tie us to extraction of fossil fuels for many years to come. However, it still remains that ending our dependency on fossil fuels is one of the most fundamental steps towards climate justice. According to the UN, we need to see global emissions drop by 45% in the next 8 years if we are to keep global warming to 1.5°C. The Chancellor said in his recent statement that the government is committed to the Glasgow Pact. Why not write to your MP, and call on them to ask the government to show tangible action towards this? 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It is so easy to feel frustrated and disappointed by the lack of action from those in power in response to the climate crisis. We lament the loss of so many aspects of your world. God, would you help us to respond with hope and love for our neighbours whether they are near or far away. Help us to take the action we need to so that we can have a hand in building your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

  • Statement on the conclusion of the COP27 Climate Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

    Monday 21 NovemberThe Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. While we are extremely conscious of the cost-of-living crisis and the economic bearing it is having here in the UK, we cannot ignore the tremendous impact of climate change in other parts of the world and overlook our responsibility towards it.  We continue to look to leaders in the UK and across the world to address the climate emergency with a sense of urgency, fairness and justice. We are grateful for the vital commitment in Sharm el-Sheikh to establish a Loss and Damage facility. All are impacted by climate change.  We have recently seen unprecedented floods in Pakistan and Bangladesh and continued drought in East Africa. Industrialised countries such as Germany and high emitting states such as China have seen rivers drying up. But it is low income countries that are frequently the worst affected by climate related disasters. They simply do not have adequate resources to rebuild shattered infrastructure and livelihoods. COP27 has seen recognition of the need for compensation for loss and damage rise much higher on the global agenda. We commend States and regions, including Scotland, that have committed early funding to support those who have seen their livelihoods or houses destroyed. As the recent UN Environment Programme report has pointed out, limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees requires global emissions to be cut by 45% by 2030. Policies implemented so far suggest that we could be heading for a catastrophic 2.7 degrees of warming. God’s creation is precious and is vital for the flourishing of all life. We lament the lack of urgency and will to co-operate to address this crisis. COP27 shows that governments have yet to loosen the chains of past practice and vested interests. World leaders cannot leave this conference believing that they have done enough and must appreciate that there is still much more to do. We pray for a renewed collaboration between people and governments, and that a deeper recognition of our shared humanity might soon lead to the compassionate and just climate action that our world so urgently needs. Signed by: Revd Fiona Bennett, Moderator of General Assembly, United Reformed Church Anthony Boateng, Vice-President of the Conference of the Methodist Church Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, Baptist Union of Great Britain Revd Dave Gregory, Convenor, Baptist Union Environment Network and Former President, Baptist Union of Great Britain Revd Graham Thompson, President of the Conference of the Methodist Church

  • COP27 – what should we be looking for?

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Our friends at the United Methodist Church are hosting a zoom briefing on Thursday 17th November about their experiences at COP27. Click here to see the details.   [1] Egypt has the Presidency of COP27.  The international summit meets from 2 Nov to 18 Nov 2022 at Sharm el-Sheikh and has been attended by the leaders of almost 200 nations. [2] Quote of António Guterres comment on ‘The Closing Window’ [3] Receipts into the fund were at $83 billion in 2020. The UK has pledged £11.6 over five years. To provide some perspective this is roughly the same amount as the UK will spend on nuclear weapons in the same period.

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They too have a deep understanding of their area, and often have relationships with those who are marginalised through support services like foodbanks and homeless shelters. Justice for people and planet is central to our theology. Christians can play a key role in bringing their own knowledge of the community together with this concern for justice to ensure that councils’ plans for transition are just, fair and sufficient. As the cost-of-living crisis bites, Christians should campaign for a renewable energy future that is affordable and sustainable, rather than abandon the net zero agenda and re-embrace fossil fuels. All of creation, human and otherwise, deserves a more thoughtful response than closing our eyes and ignoring the challenge that we know we must face. Take Action: Net Zero In My …

  • COP26 – what was achieved?

    COP26 was the most significant climate summit since Paris in 2015. The measures outlined in the COP26 Glasgow Climate Pact are critical if we are to set a course to keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees. Members of churches, in the UK and further afield, have been campaigning in advance of COP26 to ensure that topics such as paying for the loss and damage cause by climate disasters were on the agenda for the Glasgow summit. So what ultimately was achieved?  You can find a 3-page overview here but meanwhile, here are my headlines on the summit’s achievements and disappointments: New language was agreed by all on coal, oil and gas to signal that fossil fuels have had their day. There was a luke-warm commitment from nations to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. The total pledges made so far, if met, sets the world on course to a disastrous warming of 2.4 degrees.[1] The long-promised $100bn/year of climate finance is in sight (expected by 2023), but the cold reality is that much more than this will be required. There was agreement that governments will work together on the implementation of a loss and damage mechanism. But there was pushback from some major donors (for example, the US) on providing additional funding for this area. The completion of the ‘Paris Rulebook’ gives greater confidence that governments might be prevented from using creative accounting when reporting their actual carbon emissions against their pledges. When you look at the cumulative picture, actual tangible progress is far too slow. Worryingly, it is difficult to see where the landing zone might be for negotiations over quantities of finance for mitigation and the stronger targets necessary on the part of large emitters in Asia, Africa or Central/Southern America (as well as the US). However, a sense of urgency was evident at COP26 and this was reflected in some of the outcomes. Consequently, it will be more difficult to park issues for years into the future, or to claim (as some governments are tempted to do) that there is no need for a further review of a nation’s targets for five years. Instead, all governments have been urged to review their contributions by 2022 in the light of the overall deficit.  There are now a number of new initiatives on the agenda for COP27 in Egypt next year, including the funding of compensation for loss and damage. In summary, COP26 has put in place a whole new architecture for taking forward the Paris agreement and pledges. But, like investments, the value of negotiated agreements can go down as well as up. Willingness to collaborate is key. COP27 next year is now even more critical and there is more on the agenda than was the case just a few weeks ago. Read the full briefing here. If you want to hear more of Steve’s reflections on COP26, listen to this edition of our ’10 Minutes On’ podcast: [1] According to Climate Action Tracker https://climateactiontracker.org/global/temperatures/

  • Response to COP26

    Statement from the Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church on the conclusion of the Glasgow COP26 summit – 14 November 2021 Significant new statements have been made at the summit in Glasgow. Most government delegations accept that the sense of urgency is greater than it was six years ago at Paris. But ultimately the summit has not delivered.  All governments must agree on the necessary actions to avoid 1.5 degrees of warming. The failure of all parties at COP26 to unequivocally support this higher ambition with funding and emission reductions is an injustice towards those whose livelihoods have already been devastated by climate change. We are deeply disappointed that the language on phasing out coal was weakened at the last moment however the summit has called for the phasing out of ‘inefficient’ subsidies for fossil fuels. COP26 has also initiated a process to create a fund to help communities recover from loss and damage resulting from severe climatic events. These developments are crucial and welcome, but we cannot wait for pledges to be reviewed and turned into action every five years.  Action must be taken now. The pace and intensity of action must keep up with the science and with the realities experienced by an increasing number of people whose flourishing – now and in the future – depends on the actions that we all take today. Many of our church partners in developing countries are already experiencing the dire impact of changing weather patterns on livelihoods and food security. Revd James Bhagwan, General Secretary of the Pacific Council of Churches said as he arrived as a delegate at COP26 that for many in the Pacific Islands, Psalm 137 with its reference to being “By the rivers of Babylon…” has particular resonance.  As these communities face exile they experience a sense of loss of identity, loss of sovereignty, and loss of future. At COP26 our churches have listened to and sought to amplify the voices of those in the global South who are critically affected by loss through changing climates. Our Churches acknowledge that while we live in an age of individuality and immediacy, this is a journey not of individuals but of a community: the people of God and the people of the earth.  Whilst individual actions are important, this is a journey that requires us to work together to build a safe and healthy future for all. The involvement of so many sectors of society in COP26 was an inspiration. Sadly, the response of governments is not yet adequate and we call for further actions that respond meaningfully to the magnitude of the emergency that we face. Revd Clare Downing, Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church Barbara Easton, Vice-President of the Methodist Church in Britain Revd Sonia Hicks, President of the Methodist Church in Britain Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, Baptist Union of Great Britain Rev Dr Dave Gregory, Convenor of the Baptist Union Environmental Network (BUEN)

  • Updates from COP26: What happened over the weekend in Glasgow?

    As we enter week two of COP26, things are still very much in the balance as to how we will measure the success of the conference. So far, we’ve heard commitments from world leaders on coal, methane gasses and de-forestation. We’ve had speeches from world leaders, including from communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis urging more concrete and drastic action (the Foreign Minister of Tuvalu has delivered a speech to COP26 standing knee deep in the Ocean to highlight the threat of rising sea levels). If last week was the week of stating intentions, this week the work begins to determine whether they can be made achievable. Today, ministers from the global delegations arrive in Glasgow, ready to work out the detail of how these commitments will come about. In particular, we’re looking out for reviews of how often climate targets should be reviewed (potentially being increased to every year), commitments of further financing to support developing countries in mitigation and adaptation, and more attention to be given to pledges of finance for loss and damage support for frontline communities. Global day of action As COP26 delegates paused for rest over the weekend, tens of thousands of people gathered in Glasgow to play their part in encouraging more energy and more commitment over the next week. Faith groups formed part of this, and gathered in various ways to share in collective action, prayer and commitment during COP26. On Saturday, a faith bloc formed part of the 100,000 strong Day of Action for Climate Justice, including a march through Glasgow City Centre. Glasgow weather was out in full force – with buckets of rain one moment, before blue sky and rainbows the next (symbolic for those of Christian faith in the group!). But this didn’t stop the passion, energy and commitment of the interfaith movement gathering in Kelvingrove Park to add their voice to the collective call for climate justice. Leading the bloc, multi-faith leaders carried a banner reading ‘Faiths and Beliefs for Climate Justice’, and were accompanied by calls of ‘united we stand, divided we fall, climate justice for one and for all’. Climate Justice For All On Saturday afternoon, the Climate Justice For All team – a youth-led movement to call the global Methodist family to action ahead of COP26 – began their 12-hour livestream event from Woodlands Methodist Church. The team aimed to live stream to communities around the world, engaging with communities in various different time-zones when it was best for groups to tune in. They told stories from Zambia, Italy, India, Fiji, Bangladesh, Uruguay and Britain, sharing resources developed throughout their campaign as well as live interviews and reflections offered in the space. This significant endeavour showed the commitment of these young activists to bring their communities together, to show collective solidarity with their neighbours around the world on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and to call their governments to account on setting ambitious targets for carbon reduction. It was a celebration as well as a call to action, showing the power of a collective voice at this crucial moment. Ecumenical service at Glasgow Cathedral On Sunday afternoon, Christian members of various delegations at the COP as well as local faith leaders gathered in Glasgow Cathedral for an ecumenical service to mark COP26. In a packed Cathedral, the hosts brought the traditional music of the Cathedral (including bagpipes and a fanfare) as a powerful call to worship. Church leaders from around the world were in attendance, and Revd Dr Susan Henry-Crowe, General Secretary of the Global Board of Church and Society at the United Methodist Church preached to the congregation. Her message was a call to return, to God and to creation, inspired by a neon-sign installation in the Cathedral from artist Robert Foss reading ‘Returning and into your arms’. Perhaps the urgency of this calling was most significantly embodied by a call to prayer from Pacific communities, offered by Iemaima Vaai from Samoa, and also a member of the Climate Justice For All team. She brought the fear and urgency Pacific communities face into a call for lament and action by all gathered for COP26. This was deepened by the powerful moment of a young girl leaving the cathedral, carrying a homemade placard through the crowds reading ‘Save our planet’ – a reminder of the burden weighing heavily on future generations. The week ahead As we enter this next week of negotiations, we pray that these gathering moments across the weekend might bring energy to the talks still to come. We know that we need much more from COP26 to truly achieve climate justice. Current commitments are yet to be ambitious enough to ensure that the 1.5°C limit on global warming is achieved (current commitments are likely to achieve a cap of 1.8°c). Significantly, the signs will be in the detail as to whether the rhetoric seen from world leaders, including here in the UK, is to be matched with genuine intent to change our current trajectory and commit to a new way of doing things. Where we are still really lagging behind are any kind of significant commitments to low-emitting but frontline communities in terms of finance for loss and damage. The UK government have pledged £290m to help poorer countries cope, and the Scottish government have offered £1m. But in the context of the UK slashing the international development budget to 0.5% of GDP until at least 2024, this is barely pennies in the grand scheme of over £73 billion needed a year for loss and damage support. We would value your continued prayers throughout this week, that we might reach a hopeful commitment to a new way of living which ensures climate justice. COP26 is one of many steps on this journey, but we pray it is one on the right path. You can sign up here for daily updates from COP26 straight into your inbox: Sign up below to receive daily highlights from COP26, from our accredited delegates in the blue zone.  Email Full Name By signing …

  • COP26: Why Loss and Damage matters

    It is often said that we should act on climate change for the sake of our children and grandchildren’s futures. While this focus on intergenerational justice is certainly welcome, it obscures an important and urgent fact: climate change is destroying lives and livelihoods around the world now. To ignore this fact and not take appropriate, immediate action is an act of global injustice, standing by while our brothers and sisters around the world deal with the consequences of climate-related loss and damage. It is not only developing countries that face these challenges. Floods and wildfires in recent years have brought the issue front and centre to Europe, North America and Australasia. But smaller, poorer countries disproportionately lack the resources to cope with the effects of climate disaster, despite being least responsible for the emissions that cause them. The above video demonstrates why it is so important that loss and damage should be on the agenda at COP26. There is no agreed-upon definition of loss and damage, but it helps to be seen on a scale of climate actions rising from mitigation, to adaptation, to loss and damage. In the best-case scenario, we are able to mitigate the effects of climate change and prevent them from happening, through action such as limiting carbon emissions. If an effect cannot be prevented, adaptation efforts focus on making sure we can deal with them better when they do happen, by building better infrastructure. Loss and damage, however, is concerned with impacts that are unavoidable or ‘unavoided’. This includes both immediate extreme weather events like hurricanes and floods, and slow onset processes such as sea level rise. These are already a lived reality for many, displacing more than 30 million people in 2020 alone – a number that is projected to grow. Extreme weather events cause loss of life, livelihoods, and homes, but also loss of culture, sacred lands, identity and biodiversity. As there are both economic and non-economic costs, it is difficult to quantify just how large the impact of loss and damage could be. One estimate puts the projected costs of loss and damage by 2030 between 290 and 580 billion USD in developing countries alone. In April 2020, Cyclone Harold hit Vanuatu causing widespread damage, leaving up to 90 percent of the population homeless. In Bangladesh, Cyclone Amphan resulted in 13 billion USD in loss and damage to infrastructure alone. Meanwhile, in East Africa above average rainfall throughout 2020 has resulted in widespread flooding forcing more than 1.5 million people to leave their homes. Such events are tragic on their own, but when combined with pre-existing fragility and inequality in the global economy, they can be catastrophic. For instance. if a severe weather event strikes a small island state that is struggling with debt (of which there are many currently in the world) the collapse in its GDP from catastrophic damage to its economy will lead to debt default, making an extremely difficult position even worse. Comoros, for example, estimated in 2015 that costs associated with climate change will already have surpassed the value of its GDP by 2020. To ignore the urgent need of developing countries in situations such as this would be akin to seeing the man in the parable of the Good Samaritan, bloodied and bruised, robbed of his belongings and left for dead, and to pass by on the other side. In fact, developed countries also play the role of the muggers in this story, as it is their emissions that have contributed most to loss and damage! In that story, the Samaritan not only recognised the victim as his neighbour relationally, but he also provided for his needs financially. Similarly, we must start providing finance to the victims of loss and damage. It was mentioned in Article 8 of the Paris Agreement, and has received some recognition from Alok Sharma MP, President for COP26, but nothing concrete has yet been committed. The $100bn climate finance pledge will rightly be central to negotiations, but this mostly covers mitigation and adaptation. Loss and damage requires extra funding on top of this as a matter of justice, based on the polluter pays principle. This could be raised in a number of ways, including the so-called ‘Robin Hood Tax’ on the extraction of fossil fuels, the ending of fossil fuel subsidies, or an air passenger levy to name three examples. We call on those present at COP26 to see climate-vulnerable developing nations as their neighbours, and not to walk by on the other side of the road as they suffer the most immediate and severe consequences of climate change. They must go beyond platitudes and commit to action on loss and damage as well as adaptation and mitigation. It is time for developed nations to take on the fair burden of climate costs, not only as a matter of justice and fairness, but because it is imperative to respond now.

  • What can we expect from COP26 in Glasgow?

    Make no mistake – COP26 matters a lot.  As the UN Secretary General has said “The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable:  greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk. Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes becoming irreversible.” Almost all governments and their leaders know this to be true, so COP26 is an ultimate test.  Will governments look beyond narrow national interest and act together for the planet and for us all? What personal legacy do world leaders want to leave for the next generation? Achieving net-zero emissions globally wasn’t on the agenda of Paris in 2015, but it has become central to the Glasgow COP.  Success or failure will largely be judged on how national commitments measure up to a carbon neutral world by 2050 or before.  So with just a few days to go before world leaders fly into Glasgow, where do we stand? There are some developed nations and high carbon emitters that have yet to pull their weight. Australia, Canada, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Mexico are in this category. China and the United States are the world’s two largest carbon emitters and are a special case. China has announced a 2060 net-zero target. This is not soon enough, particularly in the light of the country’s recent economic growth fuelled by new coal-fired power stations. China’s per capita emissions are already greater that the average across the European Union. Their recent announcements on the reduction of fossil fuels in its power sector are welcome but the nation must go further. The United States have an increased target to reduce emissions by 50%-52% by 2030.  Given its high per capita emissions we would like to see more, but that may not be on the cards. Instead, when Joe Biden flies into Glasgow he needs to work with the leaders of other wealthy nations to secure the $100 Bn/year for mitigation and adaptation finance.  In addition, they need to create a financing mechanism for Loss and Damage to enable poorer nations devastated by climate disaster to recover.  Climate finance could be where the deal is done with states such as China, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Egypt and others who are so far keeping their powder dry on national commitments. We should not get too hung up on whether President’s Xi and Putin will be present in person.  What matters is what their delegations bring to the table. There is a deal to be done, but it will be tough to get there. And there is always the risk that negotiation on a good deal may break down in bitter recriminations. The contributions from faith communities For our faith communities, addressing the climate crisis is a matter of justice. Unsustainable consumption is having devastating climate impacts on nations that have contributed comparatively little to global warming. We bring a message of hope that is supported by the actions that our churches and members are taking.  We implore our governments to enable us all to go further. What contribution might faith communities make at COP26? Firstly, the faith community is a worldwide community. In Glasgow, there will be representatives from Baptist, Methodist, URC and Church of Scotland partners in the global south. The Climate Justice 4 All group has young faith representatives from five continents working alongside government delegations in the ‘blue zone’ as well as blogging and web-casting from the fringe.  We must not allow COP26 to descend into an argument between emerging and established industrialised countries.  Faith representatives will have a crucial role in amplifying the voice of those in developing countries. These countries demand greater action now from all governments. Secondly, we will be working together in the ‘blue zone’ to bring messages to government officials when they emerge from private consultations. We will pray for them and encourage them to go further. We won’t accept half measures or excuses. They will know that our demands are supported by the tens of thousands of people marching in Glasgow and in other cities around the world. Finally over the two weeks we will update our members on the progress of negotiations and call on people to pray. I was encouraged by a reflection offered to our team by Beth last week. It was from Psalm 121: – 1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Government delegates will have to grab some sleep over the two weeks of COP26. Even then our God, our helper, will be watching over us. Sign up below to receive daily highlights from COP26, from our accredited delegates in the blue zone.  Email Full Name By signing up I agree to receiving emails about COP26 & Environmental work from JPIT.

  • Responding to the Budget

    On Wednesday 27th October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced the Autumn Budget in the House of Commons. It’s hard to ground Budget statements in everyday reality – not least because different people and different political parties see reality very differently. At other times, numbers can offer some grounding. But the pandemic had such huge economic effects that it is possible to say “we have record growth” while simultaneously saying “we have had a record economic slump”, and back each claim up with convincing and entirely accurate statistics. It is this mixture of uncertainly, hopeful thinking and reality that allowed the Chancellor to reel off a long list great economic statistics and eye-catching spending pledges while announcing a very austere “Charter for Budget Responsibility”, designed to set a low limit to total spending over the next 5-years. However, what is of more immediate importance is how the individual measures in the budget impact on people’s everyday lives. Here I have highlighted three issues covered in the budget that our churches have particular interest in. Universal Credit At the beginning of this month, Universal Credit was cut by around £5Bn, through the £20 per week cut. At the end of the month, the budget increased by around £2Bn by decreasing the taper rate (the rate at which Universal Credit is withdrawn when a claimants other income increases) in Universal Credit. UC claimants end the month £3Bn worse off than they started. Better than £5Bn worse off – but still a move in the wrong direction. Just as importantly, by reducing the rate at which Universal Credit is withdrawn when people earn the £2Bn increase the Chancellor announced is targeted on working families. At first glance this looks great. However, Universal Credit also supports people unable to work through disability, illness or caring responsibilities. It’s important to recognise that those who aren’t working but are able and expected to get work make up a small and transient proportion of UC claimants. Instead, those who are sick or disabled, and those caring for relatives experienced a £20 per week cut to their Universal Credit this month, but will get none of the additional money. Ironically, in a reflection of what has happened in the rest of society, these changes have helped the “best-off[1]” UC claimants, while disadvantaging the worst-off UC claimants. The “best-off” UC claimants undoubtedly need the extra money. But the “worst off” UC claimants can ill afford the cut.  Foodbanks have seen increasing demand this month, these changes are not likely to reverse that trend. Investment, growth and climate There is a very live debate about if economic growth – producing more and more each year – can be made compatible with averting catastrophic climate change. There is, however, no debate that our current model of delivering growth is not compatible with a healthy planet. The Chancellor has stated a clear aim to increase growth and do so though incentivising businesses to invest. For example, he has extended the corporation tax on Super-deduction (essentially a 30% state subsidy to firms who make large capital investments), with more business tax cuts intended to promote investment. What is most notable is that these financial benefits are not contingent on meeting climate standards, nor was there a clear direction on how future investment would be made compatible with climate health. Whilst mentioned in the chancellors speech, with the exception of business rates that relief costed at tiny sums[2] aimed at solar panels and heat pumps accrue, the climate emergency gets barely a mention in the costings documents – where the real action happens. Alongside this, the taxes on air travel are focussed on longer flights – but overall are expected to raise the same amount, and the “planned” fuel duty rise is frozen (as it has been for the last 12 years). This budget does not make polluting more expensive – in the short term at least it makes it cheaper. Alcohol strategy Alcohol duties are a strange and irrational labyrinth. The Chancellor has announced that the system will be shaken up using the principle of more alcohol = more tax. We know that cheap alcohol can cause a great deal of harm, therefore although we don’t have the details, yet this appears very welcome. An improvement which churches are likely to press for is the introduction of “Minimum Unit Pricing” (MUP), which says a unit of alcohol cannot be sold for below a threshold price. The introduction of MUP in Scotland and Wales has reduced alcohol consumption and although it this is early in the process, there are indications of improved public health as a result. However, the immediate effect of today’s announcement is to reduce alcohol taxes by almost £3Bn over the 5-year review period – and over billion a year thereafter. Cheaper alcohol gets a cheer in the House of Commons chamber, but I wonder if in the cold light of morning we might wonder if the money could have been spent more fruitfully. What next? Perhaps the most useful way to ground how we think about this budget is the very welcome announcement of £4.7Bn for schools to “restore per pupil funding to 2010 levels.” Looking at the Office of Budgetary responsibility tables, we can see that central government spending is returning to about 2010 levels. Money was taken away and has been put back, but according to different priorities. To put it simply, the pie is now the same size as 2010 but is now sliced differently. Prior to this budget, most changes have been made to increase the proportion going towards spending on state pensions, the NHS and to a lesser extent the military, and to decrease spending on local government (who provide social care amongst many other things) and working age benefits. This budget doesn’t really change that calculus. As Churches, we have been clear that we wish to see an economy that works for all:  that offers sufficient for everyone now while offering …

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