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Joint Public Issues Team

Churches working for peace and justice

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Just Desserts?

You are here: Home / Season of Creation / Just Desserts?

The Just Desserts resource is designed to help you hold a special service for Harvest or to celebrate the Season of Creation (1 September – 4 October). You can also use it in a small group setting.

Below, you will shortly find prayers, video clips, discussion questions and additional information. Please let us know if you use the resources, and how your event went.

Creation and Food: a conversation with Ali Birkett and Sarah Hulme

Take a look at a conversation between Sarah Hulme, Rural Officer for the Methodist Church in Britain, and Ali Birkett, a tenant arable farmer in North Northumberland and a member of the team at Rural Ministries, a Christian charity empowering rural projects around the UK.

In their conversation, Ali and Sarah explore the relationship between food, farming and faith, and pose some challenging questions about how we can live out our faith today.

You can watch the whole video, or find five shorter clips. Each video includes questions for discussion, which can be used for a small group study session, for individual reflection or for a church service.

Whole video in one go

Video divided into sections

Downloads

Download discussion questions [PDF]

Download individual videos

Download all videos [173MB, ZIP]

Family actions

Looking to engage in this conversation as a family, or with a group of children and young people? Here are some resources you might find helpful.

  • Changing the Climate: Applying the Bible in a climate emergency
    Written by the Hawker family, this book explores what it looks like to respond to the climate emergency. You might find the chapter entitled ‘What should we eat?’ particularly useful in exploring these issues.
    You can also watch an interview with Jamie, part of the family who wrote the book, about why these issues matter to him.
  • God’s World Our Home: Chapter 2 – Responsibility
    Created by the Methodist Youth President, God’s World Our Home explores what it means to faithfully respond to the climate crisis. Chapter 2, explores what it means to live responsibly as stewards of creation.
  • Super Stories for Climate Heroes
    This online resource from Scholastic looks at food waste through storytelling, and is great for families to do together.

Prayers

A prayer for a ‘Just Desserts’ all-age service.

Each stanza could have an associated action:

  • Thanksgiving – lifted hands to heaven
  • Prayer – palms together, finger tips raised
  • Planet – hands moving apart then coming together in the shape of a circle outline
  • Help – cupped hands reaching out

God of all good gifts,

Thank you for all those
who try to make sure
we have food to eat
and that it is tasty.

We pray for farmers,
factory workers and scientists
who care about our food
and our wellbeing.

Grow in us today
a hunger for food
that is better for our bodies
and is kinder for our planet.

And help us remember
and remind us to help
all who are hungry
for food to live today.

Amen

Politics in the Pulpit podcast – Season of Creation special

Politics in the Pulpit is JPIT’s weekly podcast, where we explore the justice angles to the lectionary passages set for the coming weekend. We’re delighted to share a special episode exploring the passages set for harvest, featuring Revd David Coleman and Ruth Valerio.

David is a URC special category minister, working full-time and ecumenically across the whole of Scotland with Eco-Congregation Scotland, as their Eco-Chaplain. Ruth is Global Advocacy and Influencing Director at Tearfund.  She is the author of several books on Christian environmental ethics, and is a regular contributor on Radio 4 and the BBC World Service.

You can find out more about Ruth and Tearfund here:

Ruth’s website
Tearfund’s website

They discuss readings for a typical Harvest service, as a guide to preaching about food, farming and the environment in the midst of climate breakdown. They focus on these readings:

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 | 1 Timothy 6:6-10 | Matthew 6:25-33 | Psalm 65

Also available on Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

An extra bite

For extra nourishment, check out these links:

  • Arthur Rank Centre – harvest service resources for 2022
  • Seasonal Recipes – Ruth Valerio offers a selection of tasty treats
  • Ethical Consumer – facts and figures about some of the issues around food
  • Fairtrade Foundation
  • LEAF – Linking Environment And Farming
  • Sustainable Food Trust – lots of useful information, including a report entitled “Feeding Britain from the Ground Up”
  • CPRE – farming resources
  • Green Christian – LOAF resource

And look out for this great book:

  • “Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating” by Norman Wirzba

And some deeper thinking:

  • Food and Faith: Ruth Valerio speaking at Greenbelt Festival 2014

Eco-Congregation Scotland

The Revd David Coleman, Eco-Congregation Chaplain, has curated a set of resources for the whole of the Season of Creation 2022. Expect to be challenged and inspired.

  • Service resources
  • Sermon videos to watch and download

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Our Season of Creation resources are co-produced by

Eco-Congregation Scotland

Latest ‘Environment’ posts

  • Local elections: what have they got to do with climate change?

    *** You now need photo ID to vote in person in local elections in England and in UK general elections. You can vote by proxy or by post, but both require an online application. The deadline for registering to vote is April 17th. Find out more at jpit.uk/voterid.*** Don’t councils just fix potholes and collect the bins? Why does it matter who is elected? What do they have to do with climate change? On 4th May, 4862 council wards representing over 8000 seats and a handful of mayoralties across England are up for election (Click here to find out if there’s an election in your area). This is around 70% of all wards in England, meaning there is potential for lots of change in local government across the country. Local elections are often viewed as a temperature check on how the electorate are feeling about the main parties in Westminster. It can be tempting to transplant issues of national policy onto a local election, voting in accordance with historic loyalty or your current judgement on the national government or opposition. This is also reflected in the different approaches of political parties: Labour are using it as a trial run for the next general election, the Conservatives are seeking to manage expectations given their 20 point gap in opinion polls, and the Liberal Democrats are targeting Conservative voters frustrated by the rhetoric of MPs in their party.   Given all of this, it may seem odd to focus on local elections and climate change. Climate change is not likely to feature heavily in election campaigning, when councils are focussing on funding and crucial public services in the cost of living crisis. It might also be suggested that focussing on the effects of local government’s response to the climate crisis is insufficient when the latest IPCC report warns of ‘a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all’. Click here to read the report. Yet, the local is a key arena for policy in the fight against climate change. The All Party Parliamentary Group on the Green New Deal has argued that practical action that is within reach for councils and communities can be transformative. The Local Government Association has also shown that councils can have influence over a third of all greenhouse gas emissions in their area. They have real power in important areas like transport, buildings, energy, waste, planning, and public awareness. The cumulative effect of every council taking strong climate action would go a long way to building a greener, fairer country. It’s also important to note that local climate action can have a number of co-benefits: better access to green spaces, education about nature, improved walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure, and better connections with your neighbours to name a few. We can all benefit from an improved living environment and greater harmony with the world around us. One of our hopes at JPIT is for a planet where our environment is renewed. We’re also interested in a more relational approach to politics, rooted in our communities and places. Through our Net Zero In My Neighbourhood campaign, we’re encouraging Christians and churches to engage with their local councils’ climate action plans. This brings together an opportunity to build relationships for change in our neighbourhoods, with tangible actions for climate justice. As the elections approach, here are a few ways you can advocate for climate justice. I’d like to help but I don’t have much time Vote. While turnout for the 2019 General Election was 67.3%, for the 2021 local elections it was just 35.9%. If people passionate about climate justice turn out to vote, councils in England could be filled with candidates who stand for climate action. Take the time to consider your priorities, read the Net Zero in My Neighbourhood resources, find out what the candidates are saying about climate change, pray, and make a plan to vote on May 4th. *** You now need photo ID to vote in person in local elections in England and in UK general elections. You can vote by proxy or by post, but both require an online application. The deadline for registering to vote is April 17th. Find out more at jpit.uk/voterid.*** I can do more to connect with my councillors Connect. Councillors provide a bridge between a community and their council, and they usually love the opportunity to connect with people and groups in their wards. Most people only ever contact their councillors when there’s an issue, so positive engagement can leave a memorable impression. Councillors also want to hear what local residents care about, and it often doesn’t take many people raising an issue to establish it on their radar. Consider the controversy over 15-minute cities, where a vocal minority have raised objections and made councils hesitant. If those in favour of walkable neighbourhoods also spoke up, this could make a difference. These elections provide a great opportunity to connect with your councillors. Before the elections, could you write to your candidates? Ask them to make a specific commitment to a change you want to see, and hold them to account for any commitments they make. After your councillors are elected, contact your new representatives and invite them to your church. This could be as low-commitment as asking them to attend a service, or getting them to meet and have a conversation with your environmental reps. This is an opportunity to build an ongoing relationship with people in your neighbourhood. I want to lead the way in seeking net zero in my neighbourhood Organise. The best way to get stuck in is to sign up to our Net Zero in My Neighbourhood  network, a chance to meet with others and get trained up for change. Why not begin by reading through our resources and building a local coalition to engage with your councillors over the long-run. Working together with a broad range of other groups can demonstrate to your council the …

  • 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? Perhaps this could include investing in renewables and other forms of clean energy, rather than nuclear energy or fossil fuels. A local response Action: Partner with your council In the face of national and international inactivity, we believe that activism has the potential to be effective on a local level. 80% of local councils have set a net zero target sooner than the national one in 2050. Local churches are uniquely placed to hold their councillors to account to their climate commitments – they are connected to their neighbourhoods, through physical buildings and outreach work. If your church isn’t already signed up to the Eco Church scheme, this is a fantastic way of making sure that your local community is responding well to the climate crisis. We also can’t underestimate the importance of local action to achieve national goals. David Renard, leader of Swindon Council, commented that ‘Net Zero can only be achieved if councils are empowered’. Could you or your church get involved in our Net Zero in My Neighbourhood campaign? Our resources give clear methods and advice for approaching your council on issues of climate justice and how you can encourage your church to get involved. In the New Year, we’ll start running workshops where you can invite a speaker from JPIT to encourage your church to think about the ways in which you can respond to the climate crisis on a local level. Why not sign up to the mailing list to hear more about this when workshops are available? Find our mailing list here. In the face of inactivity and frustration, it is so easy to get downhearted. But the God who made us and this extraordinary world doesn’t want to turn a blind eye to our frustrations and pain about systemic inactivity. So why not ask God today what you can do, and how you can bring others along with you? Creator God, we thank you for your incredible creation. 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?

    At COP27[1], the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, made headlines on the opening day when he stated that “we are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator”. Some commentators saw this as exaggerated rhetoric to capture the headlines. Yet even the sober judgements of scientific reports suggest that this is an accurate description of where we stand. Just before COP27, the UN Environmental Programme published an annual ‘emissions gap’ report titled ‘The Closing Window: Climate crisis calls for rapid transformation of societies’. It demonstrates that only an urgent system-wide transformation can avoid climate disaster. The report shows that we are far from the Paris Summit Goal of keeping well within 2°C of global warming and preferably 1.5°C degrees. Current government policies suggest a catastrophic 2.8°C of warming. To get on track for 1.5°C we must achieve a 45% cut in global emissions by 2030. The report says that the share of electricity generation from unabated natural gas must to fall to 17% by 2030 and be phased out by 2040–2050. The current upward trend in use of gas will need to be reversed in favour of renewables. A window of opportunity remains open, but only a narrow shaft of light remains.[2] It is bizarre therefore that Egypt, while holding the Presidency of COP27, also hosted the 24th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Cairo just one week before the start of COP summit. The meeting discussed the long-term strategy for gas production and argued for policies to ensure an expansion of gas production in the world energy mix from 23% today to 26% in 2050. They lobby for unhindered gas markets in order to ensure security of demand long into the future. The delegates in Cairo did not have so far to travel to join the 636 registered fossil fuel lobbyists at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh. Across the globe, scientists, young people, faith groups and development agencies insist on system change to avert climate disaster. But too many governments remain in the thrall of the economically powerful and vested interests of the past. With this in mind, what can we expect from COP27 when it concludes this Friday? I will highlight three areas that are worthy of note at this stage. We cannot expect to see a lot of new carbon reduction pledges this year. Many pledges were updated last year and, although they must be continually updated to get us on track, this COP is more focused on implementation of pledges and on finance. We will keep a close eye on the relationship between the United States and China following President Xi and Biden’s meeting at the G20 this week. These two major players must be able to co-operate at COP27 if we are to sustain progress. Secondly, on international climate finance, developed nations must achieve the pledge made in 2009 to make available $100 billion annually for mitigation and adaptation. After 13 years this pledge still falls woefully short.[3] The unfulfilled pledge contributes powerfully to an unhelpful dynamic between developed and developing nations in the halls of COP summit meetings. Developing nations argue, quite reasonably, that in order to transform their energy systems and physical infrastructure to create green economies they need financial support. Although it is a tall order it would be encouraging to see pledges at COP27 achieve or at least approach the promised $100 billion. Finally, we want to see implementation of a Loss and Damage Fund. This year, in Pakistan, the highest amount of rain recorded in 60 years flooded an area larger than that of the UK. It killed nearly 1,500 people and affected 33 million, causing damage estimated at $40 billion. The country will now have to rely on billions of dollars in loans to repair the damage. As a matter of justice, our churches have been arguing for a Loss and Damage facility funded by taxes on fossil fuel companies and other forms of innovative financing. In 2019, Loss and Damage was removed the draft COP agenda: in 2022 it rose to the top, and was also prominent in the media on the opening day. In a short space of time we have transformed awareness around Loss and Damage. Might this give us hope for vital transformational change in other areas? Our churches will respond to the outcome on the final day of COP27 this Friday and JPIT will provide further comment next week. Want to hear more from friends who are at the COP? Click here to see updates from Christian Aid on Twitter. Former Climate Justice For All campaigner Jessica Bwali is representing Tearfund at COP – click here to watch her update video. 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.

  • Net Zero From the Ground Up: the case for councils

    We’re launching a new campaign, ‘Net Zero In My Neighbourhood’. This blog explores why we’re focusing on local councils for climate action, and how you can get involved. I’d like to use my car less but public transport is unreliable. I’d like to recycle more but recycling bins are only collected fortnightly. I’d like to be more energy efficient but the costs of insulating and heating my home properly are too high. If you’ve ever had thoughts like these, you’ll know that it can be difficult to live a more planet-friendly lifestyle when your local infrastructure doesn’t offer the support you need. National leaders can sign treaties and individuals can commit to make changes, but without the crucial middle layer of public services, we can struggle to connect our personal willingness to act with change on a global scale. The attention given to COP26 rightly showed the importance of international cooperation, and agreements made at that level are essential for coordinating global action. Many felt disappointed by the outcomes of talks in Glasgow, but it has helped to place climate at the top of the political agenda. If you felt disempowered and unrepresented by world leaders at COP26, you can have a real impact by engaging with your local councils. Local politics may not seem as glitzy or important as global conferences, but they have a series of responsibilities that can take the area you live in a long way towards a net zero future. The recent election of new councillors presents an opportunity for you and your church to reach out and build a relationship to work together on climate and other issues – and councils are increasingly looking to churches for community support. The case for councils So why do local councils matter for net zero? Research from the Local Government Association (LGA) suggests that local authorities have influence over roughly a third of emissions in their local areas. This is mainly due to their responsibilities in four key areas: Transport. Councils oversee local transport plans and can prioritise decarbonisation efforts. They also play a key role in supporting the transition to electric vehicle use, and developing walking and cycling infrastructure. Nottingham city council, for example, has installed more than 130 public electric vehicle charging points, and has one of the UK’s largest fleets of electric buses. Buildings. Councils play a key role in ensuring new buildings are energy efficient and old buildings can be retrofitted with better insulation and heating systems. This applies both to council-owned buildings (including council buildings, social housing, commercial units, schools, leisure centres etc.) and privately-owned buildings. They oversee planning and regulation (although they are constrained by standards set by national government) and can map the housing stock of the area. Somerset West and Taunton district council has pledged to manage its buildings and land in a biodiversity-friendly manner and is building zero-carbon council houses, as well as retrofitting existing homes across the district. Energy. Every council can encourage the development of clean energy infrastructure. They can bring relevant local partners together to develop the future of local energy, influence clean energy infrastructure implementation with planning policy, and offer support for local people and community energy organisations to undertake energy projects. Telford and Wrekin council has built a publicly-owned solar farm, which has saved more than 13,000 tonnes of CO2 and generated £1.3m for the council. Waste. Councils are responsible for the collection and disposal of household and commercial waste. They can take steps to increase recycling, implement food and garden waste collections, and improve communications about appropriate waste disposal. Stroud district council has created a local waste-management company in partnership with neighbouring authorities, and now sends the least waste per capita to landfill. Councils are well-placed to deliver on net zero as they are the master planners of places, convenors of civil society and business, and have detailed knowledge of place and people. With their understanding of the specific needs of their locality, they can ensure the transition to net zero is just and appropriate to place. Yet they are also limited in what they can achieve by the responsibilities and resources devolved to them by central government. The LGA has asked to work in closer partnership with government, calling for longer-term funding and unambiguous policy positions that allow councils to plan strategically over a number of years. As David Renard, leader of Swindon council put it, ‘net zero can only be achieved if councils are empowered’. 85% of local authorities in the UK have set a target year for reaching net zero emissions. The vast majority of these come well in advance of the national government’s own target of 2050. 88% have published climate action plans, outlining how they plan to reach net zero. For residents, the task is now to scrutinise the quality of these plans, ask for improvements, and hold councils accountable to implementing them. You can see how your council compares to others and identify what they can improve here, and see an example of a good template plan here. The role of churches Having made their plans, councils need to listen deeply to the needs of their communities in order to succeed. Churches can play a key role in facilitating this. 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.

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