Countdown To Copenhagen

by emma | Oct 15, 2008 | Social Justice

Today Christian Aid are launching our new campaign, Countdown To Copenhagen! We’re creating a people map of the UK to raise a bit of publicity and get people involved. I’ll try post a few pics throughout the day…

Climate Change: Moving Forward

by emma | Oct 14, 2008 | Social Justice

The final session at Saturdays climate change conference was a few closing remarks by Mike Robinson (Stop Climate Chaos Scotland) and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland.

• Next year marks 30 years since the phrase ‘climate change’ was coined.
• 50mph national speed limit would cut carbon emissions from driving by 30% overnight.
• The problem with poverty is wealth. The problem with climate change is wealth.
• For years people have said the economic bubble would burst, yet we continued to live in blissful ignorance, and are shocked now that it is bursting. Are we doing the same with climate change?
• “There’s a storm coming up, and God is in the storm.”
• “There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.”

Scottish & Global Perspectives

by emma | Oct 14, 2008 | Social Justice

John Ferguson (SEPA) shared some thoughts in one of the afternoon plenary sessions on Saturday.

• The earth as the womb of God (this was quoted from earlier in the day – can’t remember who said it initially).
• Adaptation should build resilience.

Addressing the causes:

1. Sustainable consumption & production.
   • EU SCP action plan
   • The story of stuff
   • We need to consume less!
2. Energy
   • Decarbonise energy eg renewables & cleaner technologies
   • Reduced energy use
3. Waste less
   • 4R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle, recover
   • Zero waste goal
   • The landfill vs incineration debate
4. Food waste
   • £420 per annul per family wasted = taking 1 in 5 cars off the road.
   • www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
5. Develop new solutions to how we live (environmental technology sector)
   • www.transitiontowns.org
   • www.sustainablecities.org
   • Space-based solar reflectors?!
6. Innovate!

Why & How (Not) To Care For The Climate

by emma | Oct 14, 2008 | Social Justice

Michael Northcott, from the University of Edinburgh, gave the third plenary talk on Saturday at the climate change conference.

• Fossil fuels are a subterreanian forest.
• Capitalism is run on underground stored carbon. Burning it threatens the 10k years of climate stability in which civilizations have endured.
• Deforestation is responsible for more than 20% of annual carbon emissions.
• Inequity is the central ethical feature of climate change.
• The earth system makes neighbours of the rich & the poor.
• Neighbours have moral duties of care & love but distance diminishes the sense of duty.
• How do we get over the distance? “We believe in the communion of saints” Duties across time & space.
• The atmosphere is a common realm. Commons are traditionally managed by communities.
• Neoliberalism is the current regnant business & economic ideology.
• It sustains the idea that there are only two devices – states or markets – for managing collective goods.
• Climate change is about the strong oppressing the weak.
• Money is a construct which emerges out of human & ecological relationships. It gives dominion over people.
• Real wealth is relational.
• We need monetary accounts that reflect real-world events.
• Forest people look on carbon trading as another attempt at colonial landgrabbing.

Food & Climate Change

by emma | Oct 14, 2008 | Social Justice

At the Climate Change conference on Saturday, I went to a morning workshop run by Daniel Gotts (Edinburgh Slow Food movement) and Pete Ritchie (a local organic farmer).

• Organic farming is about looking after the soil.
• We’ve lost the connection between the harvest and the food on our plates.
• Need to differentiate between nutritional & non-nutritional food.
• A VAT style tax on junk food?
• Water & health are widely recognized as public goods, yet food – which is essetial for life – is not.
• Negative impact of CAP – overstocking.
• Need an increased food conciousness.
• Are we talking about tweaks to the current system, or a new system?
• We don’t always necessarily have the right to eat whatever we want, whenever we want.

Creation Care: Theology & Practice

by emma | Oct 11, 2008 | Social Justice

Elaine Storkey, President of Tearfund, shared in the second plenary session on Saturday morning.

• Why is theology interested in climate change? Good theology must be lived.
• We need to look at the broad sweep of theology, not just pick & choose the parts we like.
• Theology of God as creator: God’s delight in the world. It remains his world. (Gen 1, Jer 10, Psa 24)
• The intimacy of God & creation – Psa 50. God has ownership, not us.
• All created life is integrated, forms a whole.
• Adam/adamah – solidarity, intrinsically interconnected.
• A misunderstanding of sin – it’s lost it’s meaning, people only see it as a sex issue.
• Sin: failure to love.
• Theology of neighbour love: provisions of the Torah, parable of the good Samaritan, feeding the five thousand, etc.
• 15,000 die daily from water related diseases.
• Estimated that by 2010 50 million people could be climate refugees.
• God’s requirement for justice: Isaiah 58.
• What can we do?
  • Prioritize relationships over things.
  • Reduce overconsumption & waste.
  • Think, work & produce more locally.
  • Sabbath & Jubilee implications for rest; importance of rootedness, etc.

Climate Change: The Evidence & The Options

by emma | Oct 11, 2008 | Social Justice

Chris Rapley, Directory of the Science Museum in London, gave the first plenary session this morning.

• A highly complex earth system – huge numbers of interactions.
• “Ecosystem services” – essential for life.
• Energy is at the core of success – “all progress derives from the inexhaustible desire to live beyond our means.”
• Move from organic fuels to fossil fuels.
• Energy generated prosperity and dependancy.
• The ocean has become more acidic – soaks up some of the CO2 we release.
• Temperature fluctuations over ice age periods: standard high cap of 280ppm. Current high of 350ppm.
• “Decarbonising humankind”
• Mitigation, adaptation, and remediation.
• Disconnect between urban people and the ecology.
• Someone who is hungry has other priorities.
• Partnership required between individuals, government and business.
• The technological solutions are out there – it’s leadership that’s required. We need moral leadership.