21.04.2015
Moral Need to Tackle Climate Change Examined at Christ Church Climate Conversation
The latest in a series of conversations on climate change took place in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, last night (April 20). ‘Prophetic Voices – the Call to Action’ was hosted by Christian Aid and Trocaire in the cathedral’s Music Room. The session looked at where people could find spiritual and ethical motivation to face the challenge of climate change and examined how spirituality and faith could help build a deeper connection and appreciation of nature.
It was the fourth of five ‘Climate Conversations’ that have been taking place in the city organised by Climate Gathering. The conversations aim to bring Ireland together to create a new understanding of climate change. The session gathered people of different faith and spiritual traditions as well as people charting their own paths to climate justice. Discovery Gospel Choir performed at the event.
The keynote speaker was Irish Columban missionary priest and environmental campaigner, Fr Sean McDonagh, who addressed the issue of what faith and spirituality could contribute to climate action. He referred to reports from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which stated that they were 90 percent sure that climate change was happening and 95 percent sure that it was because of humans burning fossil fuels.
Currently, he stated, the earth’s temperature had increased by less than one degree. However, with this small rise there have been extraordinary weather events, flooding and food production was being effected in Africa and Asia. A rise of four degrees, which could happen in the next 100 years unless action is taken, would see the transformation of the Amazon region from rain forest to savannah and even a two degree increase would see the extinction of between 30 and 40 percent of life on earth. This would be the biggest change since the extinction of the dinosaurs, Fr McDonagh said.
Addressing the implications for our ethical framework, he said that most religions addressed the individual’s relationship with others and their relationship with God. He suggested a change to reflect the common good which would involve supporting the eco systems that we live in for the common good. Seeking to pursue the common good would encompass our concern for future generations and solidarity with all humans and all creation around us, recognising that changes in creation impact on all humans, he suggested.
In Ireland, Fr McDonagh said, there was a need to examine the amount of carbons we use as individuals as well as government policies that impact on climate change. At local level there needed to be a connection between discourse and action.
Reflecting on religious organisations’ divestment of fossil fuel related industries he highlighted that the World Council of Churches and the Anglican Communion had backed the initiative. He urged that material on climate change be made available in parishes in all dioceses.
“I would like to see the churches taking this as one of the most serious issues of our time and become part of the discourse at parish level and diocesan level so it would be a central issue and the churches would be seen to be very much involved in this… bringing together our moral and spiritual traditions to design a world which would be sustainable into the future,” he stated. “This needs to be addressed in a concerted way. In many ways it still hasn’t got the glue of a social agreement with something of a moral and religious focus behind it to bring about that kind of change.”
The evening continued with people giving testimonies of change. In a video contribution, Gunnela Hahn spoke of fossil fuel divestment in the Church of Sweden. Natasha Harty of Cork Quaker Meeting spoke of her efforts to change things locally which included selling eggs and her home grown vegetables in her village to help people realise they did not have to rely on supermarkets for everything. Seventeen year old Amy Colgan spoke passionately of her experience in taking part in the Trócaire Climate Challenge group and said that doing “something is better than nothing” and urged people to keep doing something. Actor, writer and mum, Melanie Clark Pullen spoke of the impact doing nothing would have on future generations and our responsibility to proclaim the Kingdom and stand in solidarity with those suffering the effects of climate change.
The evening concluded with representatives of different faith traditions sharing a reflection on climate change.
A video of the event is available to view on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gde5N4yMTeA&feature=youtu.be
The final session takes place in the Abbey Theatre on May 10. See http://www.climategathering.org/climate-conversations-2015/ for more details.
Photo captions:
Top – Representatives of various faiths gather for the interfaith moment at Climate Conversations in Christ Church Cathedral’s music room last night.
Bottom – Discovery Gospel Choir performing at Climate Conversations.