Churches join world leaders to discuss planet’s future
OTTAWA, ON—Ian Thomson will be in Copenhagen, Denmark when the bells begin to ring. Starting in the South Pacific on December 13, a clanging of bells will circle the globe as churches chime into the global conversation on climate change.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is sending a delegation to join world leaders gathering between December 7 and 18 to discuss the fallout of our warming world and what to do about it. The WCC is also calling churches around the world to ring their bells (or bang pots and pans if they don't have bells) 350 times at exactly 3:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, December 13.
Three hundred fifty parts per million is a safe level of carbon-dioxide for our atmosphere, according to many scientists and climate experts. Until about 200 years ago the Earth's atmosphere contained about 275 parts per million. Over the past 200 years that figure has risen to 390. Scientists fear that unless we manage to significantly reduce carbon dioxide levels, global warming will pass the tipping point as melting ice sheets and permafrost release huge amounts of methane gas.
Thomson will represent Canadian ecumenical justice organization Kairos at the conference. He plans to spend his time in Denmark networking with church representatives from Ecuador, Nigeria, Thailand and Costa Rica who are partnered with Kairos.
"The issues we're going to be bringing up are issues of global justice, of North South equity, of countries like Canada taking responsibility for our contribution to the climate change and at the same time helping poorer countries avoid some of mistakes we've made," says Thomson. A warming planet would likely affect poor and developing nations the most, causing flooding, droughts, famine and broadening the reach of diseases like malaria.
Partners from the South would like developed nations—the biggest offenders when it comes to emissions—to sign a binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emission, says Thomson. But it's unlikely that most of the major players will commit to deep cuts.
Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper had planned to skip the conference until it became clear that other major leaders, including U.S. president Barack Obama would be there. Harper has promised only "slight adjustments" to Canada's commitments on greenhouse gas reduction.
Thomson says it's embarrassing to identify himself as a Canadian at conferences like these. "The majority of Canadians have expressed a desire to see government take serious action on climate change, but our government just isn't doing it," he says.
Thomson hopes to hear ideas from Kairos' southern partners on what Canadian Christians can do. "They question the way we produce and consume, and I think that's why they turn to Kairos and churches, because they say, 'If we're really fundamentally getting down to what people value and how we live our lives and what's important to us, these are spiritual questions.'"
Thomson will be filing regular reports from Copenhagen, posting updates and podcasts of interviews on the Kairos website.
And on December 13 at 3:00 p.m., he'll be listening for bells.
Dear Readers:
ChristianWeek relies on your generous support. please take a minute and donate to help give voice to stories that inform, encourage and inspire.
Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable receipt.Thank you, from Christianweek.
