Weekly Action - 14 February 2024 - 1.5 Degree Breach
1.5 degree breach
The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service revealed last week that for the first time global average temperatures were more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial norms almost every day in 2023. This is the crucial level that the world’s climate scientists warn we must stay below to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and was a key target in the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. The last nine years in a row have all been the hottest years on record. Urgent action must be taken now to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels to zero, and instead switch to 100% renewable energy to prevent runaway climate change. As New Zealand’s former prime minister Chris Hipkins, said when responding to unprecedented flooding caused by extreme rainfall last year which downed trees, damaged thousands of homes, disrupted rail lines, closed schools, flooded roads, caused landslides and killed several people, "Climate change is real, it's with us. "We are going to have to deal with more of these extreme weather events in the near future; we need to be prepared for that and we need to do everything we can to combat the challenges of climate change."
In recent years the impacts of climate change around the world have included heatwaves, droughts, floods, cyclones, wildfires, landslides, massive polar melting, the melting of the world’s glaciers, sea-level rise, the devastation of coral systems, mass food and fresh water shortages, ill health, huge negative economic impacts, conflicts over scarce resources, the creation of huge numbers of climate refugees, and much more. The last year has seen a massive and tragic food crisis in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, record temperatures around the world, devastating floods in Pakistan, New Zealand, the UK, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and much more, all as a result of global climate change. This is impacting millions of ordinary people. It is developing countries like Zimbabwe, DR Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Pakistan, whose greenhouse gas emissions are a fraction of those of more developed nations. They have done the least to cause climate change, but are being hit the hardest by it.
As Christians what should we do about it?
As Christians we are called to look after and care for God’s amazing creation, it belongs to him, not us, and he cares for it and loves it, as it says in the Psalms, “How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures … All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things” (Psalm 104: 24 – 28). We therefore need to urgently get out of fossil fuels, which are driving global climate change, and instead shift to 100% clean renewable energy, which does not lead to climate change, and is cheaper as well. Arise’s 4 Shifts Campaign calls for a rewiring of our global economy to be green and fair, so it still creates the jobs and wealth that lift people out of poverty, but does so without relying on fossil fuels and the overconsumption which is wrecking our planet.
Will you take action as part of Arise’s 4 Shifts campaign this week and call for an urgent shift to a clean energy economy?
Take Action
Speak out in advocacy
Email Claire Coutinho MP, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, in your own words to ask the UK to rapidly scale up climate action.
- Urge the UK government to call for a strengthening of the global Paris Agreement on climate change to shift to zero emissions and 100% clean renewable energy, and ban the use of fossil fuels in every nation by 2030.
- Urge the UK to pass national legislation to bring this into effect in the UK, and implement it in every sector (energy, transport, buildings, industry etc.)
Email her at claire.coutinho.mp@parliament.uk
Pray
Pray for people around the world who are being impacted by climate change. Pray for housing and shelter, food, medical care, new jobs, and livelihoods that are resilient to climate change. Pray for action from the UK government to rapidly shift the economy out of fossil fuels and into 100% clean renewable energy.
Give
Give to Christian organisations like Cafod, Christian Aid, Tearfund or World Vision who are supporting the poorest communities impacted by climate change around the world.
Practical Action
Reduce your own use of electricity and gas as much as possible through actions such as switching off lights and unplugging devices when not in use, wearing warmer clothing rather than putting the heating on, and ensuring your home is properly insulated.
Ethical Consumption
Speed the shift to a 100% clean energy economy by switching you electricity provider to a renewable energy company like Ecotricity or Good Energy.
Encourage us and others by letting us know what actions you have taken – message us at info@ariseuk.org, or via Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Find out more
It’s great to take this action as individual Christians, but even better to come together with others to pray, discuss, worship, learn, have fun and take action together. Contact Arise if you are interested in joining or starting a local Arise group in your church or area. If you are already in an Arise group, take this action to your wider church, and get them all to do it too.
Find out more about why the world needs 4 Shifts to transition to a green and fair global economy in Arise’s 4 Shifts Report, and how this forms part of God’s bigger vision for our world in the Arise Manifesto.
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