Weekly Action - 23 October 2024 - UN Biodiversity Conference
Take action to protect God’s creation as the nations of the world meet for the COP 16 UN Biodiversity Conference
UN Biodiversity Conference
This week a major UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 16) began on Monday 21 October, gathering the nations of the world in Cali, Colombia, for two weeks of negotiations. A major focus will be reviewing the historic agreement reached at the last talks in Montreal two years ago, where nations agreed to halt and reverse biodiversity decline by 2030. A crucial agreement made then was that 30% of all land and seas should be official designated as protected by 2030, a massive boost for conservation. Two years later, this progress is dramatically off track. Only 25 out of 195 nations have come back with concrete plans on how they would do this by the required deadline, the others, including the UK, have not.
Massive decline in wildlife
The world’s wildlife badly needs protecting. Earlier this month the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London released the latest edition of their biannual Living Planet Report. The report was first released in 1970, and since then it has tracked the number of species in the world, and the numbers in each species, compared with that 1970 baseline. The 2024 Report reveals a shocking decline in biodiversity. In just over 50 years, global wildlife populations have dropped on average by 73% around the world. Some continents have experienced an even sharper decline, like Latin America and the Caribbean which has lost a devastating 95% of all its wildlife since 1970.
The reasons for this appalling decline are entirely human created. The destruction of natural habitats through deforestation, the conversion of previously wild lands for farming, the overuse of precious fresh water in agriculture, and the overfishing of the oceans, is the primary driver. Global climate change caused by human induced greenhouse gas emissions is also having a devastating impact on natural habitats. Other causes like pollution from human industrial activity, and the introduction of destructive non-native species into different parts of the world as a result of human trade and travel are also key drivers.
Why does this matter to us as Christians?
As Christians we are called to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and to “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matt 22: 37 – 39). God also tells us to protect his amazing creation and “take care of it” (Gen 2: 15). So if we truly love God we should also follow his instructions and care for his creation.
Furthermore, human society itself is deeply dependent upon a flourishing, healthy and diverse natural environment. The fresh water and food we need to survive, the clean air we need to breathe, the clothing we wear, the natural resources to build our homes and on which our economy is based – all are dependent on a healthy and diverse biosphere. Every scientific study on the topic shows how natural ecosystems are complex and deeply dependent. The shocking decline in biodiversity that we are causing, puts human society and survival itself at risk. And as ever, the poorest most vulnerable people around the world who do the least to cause such environmental decline, will suffer the worst from the impacts of it. So as Christians if we claim to love our neighbours as ourselves, we must again act to protect the global biodiversity on which we all depend.
So what can be done?
To halt and reverse the shocking decline in biodiversity we must address its primary causes. That means protecting wild habitats and halting all further exploitation into wild lands; banning all polluting activity; and transforming our agricultural and economic activity so it becomes environmentally sustainable, not taking out more than it puts back in. It also means halting and reversing global climate change. Arise has brought all these changes together into two major policy shifts to Clean Energy and a Circular Economy needed to secure a safe environmental ceiling for the world, as part of our 4 Shifts campaign. The 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 overconsumption which is wrecking our planet.
Take Action
Speaking out in advocacy
Write to Steve Reed, the UK’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who is attending the COP 16 conference, in your own words, asking the UK to continue with urgent action to:
- Shift the UK and the world from overconsumption and waste to the circular economy, by calling for a global circular economy law during the UN Biodiversity conference. This law should ban polluting activity, further human expansion into wild lands, the production of natural resources that takes out more than it puts back in, and all waste, in order to trigger the shift to a circular economy. Bring in a UK national circular economy law to implement it here in Britain.
- Shift the UK and the world from polluting fossil fuels to clean energy, by calling 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 by 2030. Bring in national legislation to put this into effect in the UK, and implement it in every sector (energy, transport, buildings, industry etc.)
Write to him at:
The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
DEFRA
Seacole Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Pray
Pray that the shocking decline in biodiversity around the world will be halted and dramatically reversed. Pray for protection of species and natural habitats around the world. Pray for progress at the UN Biodiversity Conference to agree a global circular economy law.
Give
Give to Christian organisations like A Rocha that are doing crucial work to protect and preserve the species and habitats of God’s amazing creation. Consider giving to secular organisations like the World Wildlife Fund that are doing similar things.
Practical Action
Volunteer and get involved with wildlife habitat protection and restoration in your area through Christian organisations like A Rocha or your local Wildlife Trust.
Ethical Consumption
Reduce the huge negative impact that ever-expanding human agriculture has on God’s creation, by switching to a healthy diet that is based upon mainly fruit and vegetables (at least a third), and cereal and carbohydrates (at least a third), with a small amount of meat (less than a sixth) and dairy (less than a sixth), and eating white meat and fish rather than red meat wherever possible. Buy organic food, meat and other animal products that are free-range, as much as possible.
Find out more
Latest news – Updates on previous campaigns and latest news from the Arise movement.
Join a local Arise group in your church or area – 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.
Arise Manifesto – Find out more about this week’s action in the Arise Manifesto, Arise’s big picture, researched, Biblical, holistic and practical vision for a better world.
Sign up – Found this action online, or sent it by a friend? Sign up to receive weekly actions from Arise directly.