Environment

Action On Palm Oil

A memorial from Sheffiled District Synod to the 2010 Methodist Conference noted concerns of experts that at the present rate of deforestation, orangutans will be extinct in the wild by 2018. It also noted that (in 2010) only 4% of the palm oil produced was from sustainable resources and called on the Conference to increase awareness of the need to act on this issue. To further work towards the use of sustainable palm oil, the Conference directed the Joint Public Issues Team and the Central Finance Board to engage with work with NGOs and ecumenical partners, companies and Government.

After several years concerted campaigning on this issue, some progress has been made.All major UK retailers are members of the Rountable on Sustainable Palm Oil, though there is still a need for the industry to move faster.

Churches are now calling on the UK Government to confirm its own commitment to increasing the use of sustainable palm oil by addressing its own use of palm oil in public procurement.

Those who wish to contact the Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss the Government's use of sustainable palm oil can click here for background briefing on palm oil and further information.

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Copenhagen

The COP15 summitt has the potential to reshape the world's attitude to the environment. Months of work by campaigners and politicians mean real change is possible. To ensure everyone is clear on what this conference can achieve a special briefing has been produced.

Download 'Copenhagen Conference in Three Minutes' PDF

Climate Change Bill

We wanted the Bill to be more effective and called for an 80% reduction in carbon emissions. We don't want to ignore the contribution of air and sea travel, and wanted to see reductions of our own emissions rather than relying on buying carbon credits from other countries. Find out what our supporters wrote to their MPs.
Download a briefing on the Climate Change Bill (PDF)

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Our denominations' environmental polices encourage all churches and church members to consider how we might tread more lightly on the Earth. However, legislative change, appropriate taxation and other incentives are required to drastically reduce national carbon emissions. To this end the Joint Public Issues Team has led our churches in providing a response to the proposed Climate Change Bill.

See Climate Change Bill - submission of evidence to the pre-legislative scrutiny committee (PDF)

Climate Change Bill - response to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) consultation (PDF)

Our Churches' Response

We have encouraged people throughout the church to identify a Christian ethic and response to climate change and encourage churchgoers to be good stewards of God's creation. A variety of ecumenical resources are available and can be found at Creation Challenge www.creationchallenge.org.uk

Resolutions calling for greater engagement in environmental issues by local churches were adopted by both the Methodist Conference and the United Reformed Church General Assembly in July 2007. 

Methodist Conference Climate Change Resolution (Word doc)
URC General Assembly Climate Change Resolution (Word doc)

One of the themes of the 2008 Baptist Assembly will be 'Care for Creation'.

Film on Creation Challenge

Creation Challenge - the URC and Methodist environmental network, has a made a special short film to motivate and inspire Christians and churches to take action on climate change. View it and download it from www.creationchallenge.org.uk (scroll down the page and click on "find out more...".