At this week’sUnited Nations Conference on Climate Change, over 40,000 attendees will discuss the future of global attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But which countries are the biggest supporters of climate change action?
A new studyby Pew Research shows that in most countries, there’s a large gap between concern about climate change and the willingness to act. But the results are a bit different than you might expect.
The study, which polled people in 40 nations, found that people worldwide are worried about how climate change will affect Earth’s future. A majority of people surveyed in each nation felt that climate change is a serious problem, and 54 percent worldwide characterized climate change as “a very serious problem.”
The most concerned respondents were in Latin America (74 percent) and Africa (61 percent), with the smallest number of concerned citizens in the Middle East (38 percent). United States respondents ranked near the bottom of concern—only 45 percent of Americans surveyed believe that global warming is very serious, and only 30 percent were “very concerned that climate change will harm me personally.”
Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/which-countries-are-most-open-curbing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-180957408/#VGOgPCXW5YemRlhW.99 Give the gift of Smithsonian magazine for only $12! http://bit.ly/1cGUiGv Follow us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter
Sustainability Victoria is hosting a series of ‘Community Conversations on Climate Change’across regional Victoria throughout October and November 2015.
The purpose of these events is to bring together representatives from across the community sector (community groups, not-for-profits, schools, local government) to connect with each other, share lessons and exchange knowledge about leading climate change projects in the region and from across the state, and to inform Sustainability Victoria’s future program design and community engagement offer.
In the Grampians region, there will be 2 events:
Horsham, Thursday 22 October – 9.45am to 1pm (concluding with lunch)
Ballarat, Wednesday 28 October – 9.45am to 1pm (concluding with lunch)
Please put one of these dates in your diary.
An invitation including all the event details with a full agenda will be sent shortly.
As the pope stakes out a firm
position on the issue of climate change, one of his key scientific advisors
meets Late Night Live, opening up about climate scepticism, how many people can
fit on the planet, and whether democracy can solve this kind of environmental
crisis.Please go here to read more and find a recording of interview.
Participants from various Church
of England dioceses, ecologists, political campaigners, educators and
technology experts gathered at the conference, “Reconciling a Wounded Planet” on 18-19 September in Coventryto coordinate responses to environmental crisis and develop a common theology.
Participants recognized the Church as a “trusted convener” for
facilitating theologically grounded action on climate change. Various
discussion groups tackled political and community engagement, health,
education, technology, natural resources and biodiversity topics.
Speaking at the political engagement session, Ben Niblett, Tearfund
campaigns team leader, proposed ways of mobilising the Church community
in order to convince policy makers to include climate change in their
agenda. “The Church is a home of values, a place of social capital. A
group of people that come together to prepare and act. Massive changes
can happen – you need to prepare to grab the opportunities,” he said.
One of the main issues raised by the speakers was a need to break
through fear to address the environmental crisis and “normalise” its
discourse. “We need people’s values to change first, so the policies can
change,” said Richard Gower, director of Foresight Economics
consultancy firm, speaking about the reasons some popular movements
succeed in shaping public opinion and achieving systemic change.
In light of the recent fossil fuel divestment decision by the Church
of England, Gower said every Christian should understand “it is just not
acceptable for your pension fund to be in fossil fuels.”
Participants also acknowledged the role of financial systems and
global trade in the current climate crisis, while pointing out climate
change should not be considered “a leftist issue” as it affects
everyone.
Sir Ghillean Prance, professor of botanics and conference keynote speaker encouraged Christians to lobby at UN Climate Change conference taking place in Paris in December: “If we truly want to reconcile, we need to expand. Let's be a voice in Paris!”
A variety of dispersed local initiatives, lack of coordinated action
and a theological imperative was pointed out by several speakers.
“Creation care is not a good thing – it's our mandate from the God. It
is an integrated God's mission in reconciling all things. It is not
about equipping theologically, but challenging theologically. This is
God's will for us,” said Sam Berry, professor of genetics and former
Church of England General Synod member.
The Revd Margot Hodson, vicar of the Haddenahm Benefice in
Buckinghamshire, referring to the Paul's letter to the Colossians, spoke
about the responsibility of all Christians to care for the Earth as
God's creation: “Often we say we are the body of Christ and yet we don't
think about it. […] God holds the creation as a father holds a wounded
child. Christ is the head of the Church and we are his body. Surely in
some way we are holding it too and that's why it hurts.”
Tweets from the “Reconciling a Wounded Planet” conference are available at the Anglican Communion reconciliation initiative @LiveReconcile. Visit the Living Reconciliation website for bible studies and reconciliation stories from around the Anglican Communion.
"The heat index was recorded by a group of astonished weather experts who predict the country could be enduring some of the hottest urban temperatures ever endured by mankind."
Posted by Interfaith Power & Light on Sunday, 2 August 2015
The latest papal encyclical was released to-day, 19 June 2015 AEST - 18 June in The Vatican. The encyclical will take time to read closely and carefully, to digest it, and comment thoughtfully upon it.
Throughout the month of September, congregations within the Uniting Church in Australia, as well as congregations and groups from other denominations and religions are encouraged to participate in Interfaith September - an initiative to create a community of hospitality, conversation and friendship with people of all faiths in their neighbourhood.
On Wednesday 29 April 2015, twenty nine people departed Frankston Visitor Information centre for a bus tour to the Jewish Museum of Australia, St Kilda and the Progressive Synagogue of Temple Beth Israel, St Kilda followed by a kosher lunch in Elsternwick.
Did you know the Faith Communities Council of Victoria (FCCV) posts over 200 multifaith events and news articles per year on its website: faithvictoria.org.au
JOHN SCHELLNHUBER, CLIMATE SCIENTIST
The latest papal encyclical was released to-day, 19 June 2015 AEST - 18 June in The Vatican. The encyclical will take time to read closely and carefully, to digest it, and comment thoughtfully upon it.
