Church and Society Commission of CEC

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change is the key contemporary issue. The United Nations and the majority of the governments of the world have come to recognise that human existence is increasingly under threat from the deteriorating climate position. Climate change is not only a scientific issue but also of theological, ethical, social, economic, political and security concern.

For the past ten years the European Christian Environment Network has made a major contribution to enabling the churches to share experience and information about a broad range of environmental work. In the same spirit of sharing and co-operation the Church and Society Commission of CEC enhances its capacity to address the issue of climate change. This work is being developed with an aim to deepen the dialogue with ecumenical partner organisations as well as in the dialogue with responsible political institutions.

At different times different European churches have developed or published a wealth of documents on the breadth issues related to the topic of climate change. The purpose of this web-page is to collect as many of those documents as possible into a single space and to offer them back to the churches as a gathered resource.

Not surprisingly, not all churches agree on all aspects of climate change or how to respond to the challenges of climate change. Where churches disagree with one another we very much hopeful that this resource will act as catalyst and as a resource to constructive dialogue, with the purpose of enabling the churches to come to a common mind on some of the most pressing issues in the history of humanity.

Current Catalogue of Documents

If you would like to post Climate Change documents on this page on behalf one of the members churches please contact Ms. Ruthann Gill at: Ruth.Gill@cec-kek.org .


The catalogue currently includes documents from:

The Church of England:

In May 2008 the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issued a consultation document on the proposed EU Emissions Trading System from 2013. The House of Bishops' Europe Panel made a detailed submission to this consultation in July 2008. A copy of the submission can be read here. - July 2008

In addition, the Bishops' Europe Panel joined with other civil society organisations to make a joint and more general submission to this same consultation. This joint submission involved the following organisations: the Church of England, the Royal Society of Birds, Christian Aid, Greenpeace, the Green Alliance and WWF. A copy of this joint submission can be read here. - June 2008

Climate Change and Human Security – A Challenging Environment of Injustice: A Report by the Mission and Public Affairs Council. This report and its recommendation resourced the debate on climate change at the July 2008 General Synod which authorised the establishment of a church based Adaptation Fund. - June 2008

Submission by the Church of England’s House of Bishops’ Europe Panel to the European Commission’s 2007 Consultation Paper Reforming the Budget, Changing Europe . This submission argues for radical revisions to the EU's budget in favour of financing a low carbon economy. - June 2008

Joint letter by the Archbishop of Sweden, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Head of the EKD Council to the Commission President on the eve of the COP-13, Bali - December 2007.

Towards a Post Kyoto Climate Treaty for Climate Justice: A Mission and Public Affairs Briefing Paper - November 2007

Through the Glass Darkly - Europe and the Politics of Climate Change: A mission and public affairs briefing paper - October 2007

Climate Change – Not Just a Green Issue: a mission and public affairs briefing paper - August 2007

The Church of England has a specific website: www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org/index.php dedicated to environmental issues and its campaign, Shrinking The Footprint. This website provides useful information and additional resources regarding the work that the church is doing nationally.


The Church of Sweden

Church of Sweden’s Position on Climate Change and Development - Adopted by the Commission for international mission and diakonia 24 April 2008.

Kernenergie und Klimaschutz - Hans Diefenbacher

Die CO2-neutrale Synode Ein Projektbericht zur Kompensation der CO2-Emissionen der 6. Tagung der Synode der EKD, 4.-7. November 2007 in Dresden - January 2008

It is not too late to respond to climate change An appeal by the Chair of the Evangelical Church in Germany, Bishop Wolfgang Huber - May 2007

Gefährdetes Klima Studie des Beirats des Beauftragten des Rates der EKD für Umweltfragen - EKD-Text 52, 1995

More materials are available regarding enviromental issues on the EKD Homepage at: www.ekd.de/umwelt/umwelt.html