THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK ‘Climate change;

A long-awaited United Nations report gave the grim news that global emissions are reaching record levels and show no sign of reduction.  It also outlined the devastating effect which increased emissions are having on animal, marine and insect existence.The report’s warning is clear -if no action is taken to reduce such emission then many such species face extinction.   Arctic temperatures have also risen by three degrees since 1990,we see evidence of this with rising sea levels and increasing hurricanes and flooding.There’s no doubt that we need to take even more seriously the need to change our lifestyles and to ensure that nationally and internationally urgent action is taken.  Thankfully, the report is not all‘doom and gloom’ carbon emissions can be reduced, animal and marine life protected, and global temperatures held to below two degrees if as nations we have the will to make the urgent changes the report recommends.

And yet we are often so reluctant to change.  Last year the USA withdrew from the Paris Agreement which was formed to combat climate change and to ensure international co-ordination in reducing carbon emissions.Such a decision from a major world power reflects the reluctance and distrust of scientific evidence that has warned again and again of the consequences of inaction. This latest report cannot be ignored, and there’s increasing public support to ensure that it’s not. Hopefully President Trump will think again!

It’s good to know that there has been some positive action in the UK. Government policy is now in place to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040. Many supermarkets are reverting to paper packaging with some stores removing plastic bags altogether.  Wales pioneered the charge for bags which was soon followed by the rest of the UK and this has brought a dramatic reduction in their use. There is also more awareness of the devastation that plastic waste is causing to the oceans of the world and thankfully we are all recycling as never before.

The Bible often speaks of us being ‘stewards’ of creation.  The book of Geneses in the story of creation says that God looked on what he had made and saw that it was good – and it is!  He gave to Adam and Eve a garden called Eden where perfection and plenty were ordained for them and all of humankind.  In this lies our commitment to modify our lifestyles to ensure that this wonderful world of God’s creation continues to be a living legacy of hope, beauty and joy to us and all generations to come.