Climate Change and the Environment

Climate change has seldom been out of the news in recent months. Despite the protests of a vocal minority, the debate is no longer about whether climate change is happening, but how much and how quickly it is taking place, what the consequences are and what we can do about it.

The change in the Earth’s climate is expected to be both abrupt and irreversible and it will hit the poorest people, those who are least responsible for the change, earliest and hardest.

Global temperature is expected to rise by an average of between 2 and 4.5 degrees Celsius in the next century; the UN predicts that by 2050 there will be as many as 300 million environmental refugees and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that by that time 1 million species of plants and animals will have become extinct.

Climate change is a global issue, it is a pressing issue and, for many of us, it is a new issue. However, in terms of the environment as a whole, it may be just the tip of the iceberg. Here are some of the other key environmental issues for prayer:

Deforestation: Forests in South America, Southeast Asia and now Siberia are rapidly disappearing as huge areas are cleared for farming. 40 percent of the Earth’s surface is now used to grow crops for human consumption.

Overconsumption: The average person in the UK produces 1 tonne of non-recyclable waste every year. If everyone in the world were to enjoy a lifestyle similar to those of people in the West, more than three Earth’s would be required.

As we reflect on how we might adjust our own choices and lifestyles in response to these issues, do pray for the governments of countries who have been involved in the climate summit in Copenhagen, that they may be committed to the actions required to curb the current trend, in spite of the sacrifices that will inevitably be required. Pray too for church and mission agency leaders as they consider how to integrate environmental concerns and creation care into their particular ministry and witness.