Earth in crisis: is this the biggest moral issue we face?

Webmaster | 29 April 2005

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No doubt you’ve seen the recent headlines. ‘Greenland ice-cap melting faster than ever’, ‘Maldives: Paradise under threat’.

It appears the earth is not only getting warmer, but smaller, drier and darker. And if you believe the TV the consequences will be apocalyptic.

Climate change has become serious enough for the Anglican Church to act. Last month, the worldwide Anglican Communion held its inaugural Anglican Communion Environmental Network meeting in Canberra to develop some practical guidelines to help churches tackle the issue.

Delegates from as far afield as the Solomon Islands, Kenya and the Philippines shared moving local stories which highlighted the very real and devastating impact of climate change on these poorest of nations. In the Solomons one island’s aircraft strip – important for maintaining local living standards – now lies under rising sea levels. While in Kenya droughts and malaria have worsened in recent years.

Australia’s delegate was geoscientist Dr Ann Young, author of a landmark environmental history of Australia and member of St David’s, Thirroul in Wollongong.

Dr Young believes it is time Sydney Anglican churches took environmental issues seriously.

“It is a profound moral issue,” said Dr Young. “The West is consuming resources faster than they can be renewed and at a much greater rate than the developing world.”

“Climate change is the face of a related moral issue: excessive consumerism. A sin, such as greed, has been relabelled a virtue. Some would even argue that our resource consumption in Australia is so excessive that we are stealing from future generations.”

Dr Young points to the Diocese of Canberra-Goulburn which is world leader in developing energy audits for their parishes and church organisations. The audit is a simple checklist for churches to fill out.

“As a Church, we must get our own house in order, and set an example that it is wrong to be wasteful in our use of resources,” she said.

While the moral argument is strong, perhaps more pragmatic concerns will ensure the energy audit wins support with Sydney Anglican churches.

“The experience of other churches shows that costs savings of up to 20 per cent can be made,” said Dr Young, who adds that this could free up funds church’s need for ministry.

“With the extra funds to invest from reduced bill payments you are way ahead,” she said.

>> See also: Not science fiction – our greed is killing the poor

Our experts answer your green questions

Dr Ann Young
>> author, An Environmental History of Australia since 1788.
>> recently retired as senior lecturer in Geosciences, University of Wollongong.
>> member, St David’s, Thirroul.

Dr Andrew Cameron
>> lecturer in Ethics, Moore Theological College.
>> PhD in theological ethics, London University.
>> chair, Social Issues Executive, Diocese of Sydney.
>> member, St George North Anglican Church.

>> I’m very worried about global warming, but what can I do about it?

Dr Young: Keep this in perspective. Is global warming really the most important environmental issue we face? Especially on a global scale – for many people in Africa, South America, mainland Asia, water management or control of soil erosion are far more pressing issues. Often global warming is assumed to have coincided with a change (say in migratory bird behaviour), rather than being demonstrated by relevant climatic data. But of course, being thrifty with energy is good in itself, for all sorts of environmental reasons.

Dr Cameron: Remember that the jury is still out on ‘global warming’. When people around us worry about catastrophe, it’s hard to remember that God has not stopped caring for the world. But of course, human greed can do great damage, so it’s right to see what can be done to reduce our society’s voracious consumption of fossil fuels. The question you need to keep putting to MPs is: shouldn’t we sacrifice just a little bit of economic growth if there is any danger of damaging the world for our children?

>> Isn’t worrying about environmental collapse just a distraction from our most important task – winning people for Christ?

Dr Young: How can poor stewardship of the world do anything but dishonor Christ? Christ will redeem all creation, but we should ‘tend the weeds in God’s garden’ with as much care as we give to healing broken relationships among people. A lot of non-Christians are environmentally aware, so to act as though we have a right to exploit the environment is an impediment to reaching them with the gospel.

Dr Cameron: It is true that the best thing for humanity is for our rift with God to be healed, as we repent and he forgives. But in the Bible, ‘eschatology never overturns creation’. God’s new future is never an excuse for going against how God made his world. We know this in the arena of sex. So also with the environment: creation is to be enjoyed in humble thanks not in rapacious destruction. Theology shouldn’t be used to justify greedy exploitation of the world; and so environmental care by Christians should be supported.

>> Does recycling do more harm than good?

Dr Young: There is no doubt that some recycling has been energy-inefficient. But it has had two good outcomes. It has made us think about waste and how to reduce it. And it has helped people see that waste can be a useful resource. An example is the use of treated sewage waste as a soil conditioner (rather than just landfill or – even worse – flushing untreated sewage to sea).

>> What priority should ‘green’ giving have?

Dr Young: Think first about joining a local environmental group. Care for the environment is a bridge towards those who have no Christian understanding, simply because so many people are environmentally concerned.

Dr Cameron: God has given us such abundance that we can do many good things with our money. We do not have the problem of having to eke out a miserable existence with scarce resources. So, get your giving to Christian ministry up to at least ten per cent; and don’t take away from that when you give to other causes. Extra generosity on top of ministry giving is another way that Christians can bless the world. It’s something to enjoy, not something to worry about!

>> Is it important I avoid plastic packaging?

Dr Young: Yes, it is important – and it is even more important that plastic waste doesn’t enter waterways. Using cloth shopping bags is the easiest first step. Avoiding fast foods packed in plastic containers is another – especially if you make your reasons clear to the company concerned. Many plastic bottles are recyclable, so favour products packed in bottles you know your council recycling will handle.

Dr Cameron: Also if you find a product that is triple-wrapped, write to the manufacturer. A few carefully targeted letters will really get them moving.

>> I’ve been asked to help a community-based Clean Up Australia project. It’s on a Sunday and I’ll miss church. What should I do?

Dr Young: Some churches organise their own clean-up on the Saturday before CleanUp Australia Day. If a few churches in an area get together, this can be a good witness. If there is an evening service nearby, attend this instead of your usual service, and go to the clean-up with your friends. And tell them you are doing this – they might join you at church!

Dr Cameron: This kind of question saddens me. Not because the questioner is asking it, but because it has to be asked. At a time when we are trying to do everything to get alongside non-Christians with a view to sharing our faith, it is deeply strange that the needs of the church meeting have become so rigid. Talk to your minister and explain that it’s a one-off. Ask for a tape of the sermon. Let people at church know what you are doing – they might pray for you! If it ever became a regular Sunday thing, then of course different arrangements would need to be made – like planting a midday barbecue congregation for the ‘Clean Up’ people!

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climate change facts

1. Global temperatures rose by 0.6 degrees in the past 140 years.
2. Most scientists agree that burning fossil fuels and land-clearing contributes to global warming.

impact on Australia?

The real debate over climate change begins when scientists attempt to predict the future.

Graham Farquhar from the Australian National University’s Climate Centre, believes computer models have actually underestimated the impact of global warming.

Farquhar believes ‘global dimming’, caused by air pollution preventing the penetration of the sun’s rays to the ground, is reducing evaporation. Less solar radiation with warming surface temperatures reduces precipitation, leading to a dryer world and longer, harsher droughts in Australia.

Farquhar’s study: The Cause of Decreased Pan Evaporation Over the Past 50 Years, Science Vol 298 (2002), pages 1410-1411

resource

What: A 24 page full colour booklet on how Christians should respond to environmental concerns. Ideal for churches and schools.

Publisher: Social Issues Executive, Diocese of Sydney

Available: New this month. Phone Tracy Gordon – (02) 9565 5318

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