It’s that time of year when countries from around the world send representatives and delegates as they gather for this annual review of commitments to reduce carbon emissions, develop alternative clean and sustainable forms of energy, and promise support for the countries who are most affected by climate change.
A National Day of Action is planned on Saturday November 14, the eve of COP 31 which will take place in Anatalya in Turkey. Our church eco group is planning ideas to support this day of action. We hope to distribute posters and information to church members and put up a special display on the group’s eco board in the church hall. If any further ideas are planned, we will keep you informed.
This year has seen some significant impacts of climate change. There was a very hot dry summer across Europe which caused many wildfires and impacted many crops grown by our farmers. Climate records were broken several times. We may well have broken the 1.5 degrees barrier which has been a target to avoid since the Paris Agreement in 2015. Governments face dilemmas in energy supplies because of the disruption to supplies by wars in the Middle East and this may increase our dependence on fossil fuels rather than diminish it. Governments who are waging war seem to forget that the whole planet is facing a climate crisis and spending money on weapons and destroying energy infrastructure is not helping. Fred Pratt’s hymn StF 727 is prophetic:
‘Long have our human wars ruined its harvest
Long has earth bowed to the terror of force
Long have we wasted what others have needed
Poisoned the fountain of life at its source.’
