themes
environment and
climate change
links
Here we provide links to Christian organisations and development agencies involved in environment and climate change issues, plus web pages and information provided by the churches. We also have a section of links to other groups, including the UK Government. Please note, most links are to external websites:
Christian organisations
A Rocha is a Christian conservation organisation. Started in Portugal in 1983 (where A Rocha means "the rock") it now works in many countries around the world, operating by means of distinctively Christian projects and with a variety of partners. Its projects are normally community based and encourage people to become both informed and involved in looking after God's world together.
Planetwise, a new book by A Rocha UK's National Director Dave Bookless, and an associated Environmental Resource Pack to help churches, groups and individuals explore the creation care message further are now both available.
A Rocha has produced a separate Web guide to a simpler, greener lifestyle, called Living Lightly 24:1.
A Rocha has also helped to produce FutureShape? , a new resource to help churches explore creation care issues from a biblical perspective, which is published by BMS World Mission in partnership with the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Baptist Union of Scotland and the Baptist Union of Wales.
With the support of Christian Aid and Tearfund, A Rocha has put together a conservation/Christian newsletter for disseminating relevant stories across the sector:
A Rocha February 2008 newsletter (PDF)
Christian Ecology Link (CEL) is an inter-denominational Christian organisation for people concerned about the environment. It provides information on ecology and the environment for Christians and churches, and offers Christian insights to the Green movement.
LOAF is the group's food campaign which encourages people to choose food that fulfils at least one of the following criteria: Locally produced, Organically grown, Animal friendly or Fairly traded. For more details see CEL's LOAF web page.
CEL produces a monthly prayer diary
Eco-Congregation is an ecumenical programme which helps churches make the link between environmental issues and Christian faith, and to respond in both practical and spiritual ways. It provides resources for churches to do an environmental audit (church check-up) and to encourage appropriate action.
The programme is free of charge and very flexible, so it can be used for any church or congregation. There is also an award scheme to encourage change.
Eco-congregation has separate sections for:
England and Wales
Scotland
Ireland
An initiative of Christian churches and organisations to protect people's access to water around the world and promote community-based initiatives and solutions to overcome the water crisis.
European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN)
Since it began in 1998, the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN) has enabled the churches of Europe, and other Christian groups involved in environmental work, to share information and common experiences and to witness together in caring for God's creation.
ECEN is a network of the Conference of European Churches CEC. It is CEC's chief instrument for addressing our relationship with nature and the environment from the perspective of Christian theology and Christian way of life.
The John Ray Initiative (JRI) is an educational charity with a vision to bring together scientific and Christian understandings of the environment in a way that can be widely communicated and lead to effective action.
Operation Noah's mission is to encourage Britain and Ireland's churches and governments to lead a radical transformation in both our culture and economic systems towards simpler, liveable and supportable lifestyles that will increase happiness and well-being, while safeguarding the whole of God's creation for future generations.
Originally a joint project of Christian Ecology Link (CEL) and the Environmental Issues Network of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, it is now being set up as a separate organisation while retaining its Christian focus. Individuals are encouraged to support Operation Noah's campaign aims.
The Archbishop of Canterbury gave the 2nd Operation Noah lecture on 13 October 2009 at Southwark Cathedral, London, entitled The Climate Crisis: a Christian Response. The text is available on the Operation Noah website.
Operation Noah's web site includes a number of videos, including the documentary God is Green made by Mark Dowd, now Campaign Strategist for Operation Noah, which has been shown on Channel 4.
Leading up to the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December 2009, Operation Noah has launched the ARK Campaign, targeting the global power sector and using physical arks of all sizes as campaign symbols.
One of Operation Noah's existing campaigns is the No Fly Pledge encouraging individuals not to fly for the next 12 months, in recognition that flying is one of the most damaging things a single person can do to the environment and that the emissions from flying are a major contributor to climate change.
Development agencies
Christian Aid
Christian Aid works where the need is greatest in nearly 50 countries, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or religion, to meet suffering and stop poverty through providing emergency relief or long-term development.
Christian Aid climate change page
Christian Aid's recent publication 'All creation groaning': a theological approach to climate change and development outlines a theological approach based on the starting point that climate change is essentially a justice issue.
CAFOD
CAFOD raises funds so that it can promote long-term development, respond to emergencies, raise public awareness of the causes of poverty, speak out on behalf of poor communities, and promote social justice in witness to Christian faith and gospel values.
CAFOD climate change page
The Live Simply project has been developed by CAFOD. It is based on the radical idea that God calls us to live simply, sustainably and in solidarity with the poor, from the prophetic document Populorum Progressio, written by Pope Paul VI.
Ahead of world leaders meeting in Copenhagen in December to hammer out a UN climate deal, CAFOD's latest Climate Justice campaign calls for a fair climate change deal that puts poor people at its heart:
Climate Justice Campaign
Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF)
MRDF works in partnership with small-scale, locally-based organisations in the poorest countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. It provides grants to help them grow and become more self sufficient.
It has produced a Bible study pack on climate change:
MRDF Study Pack
Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)
The official aid and international development charity of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
SCIAF - Create A Climate For Justice
Tearfund
Tearfund is a Christian relief and development agency working with a global network of local churches to help eradicate poverty.
Tearfund climate change campaign
Tearfund is again encouraging people to fast and pray during Lent to cut carbon use and help protect poor people from climate change.
Tearfund Carbon fast
Trocaire
Trocaire is the official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Its areas of work include Climate Change and Environmental Justice.
Churches
Baptist Union of Great Britain
A Vision for the Environment (resource paper).
The Baptist Union of Great Britain has also helped to produce FutureShape? , a new resource to help churches explore creation care issues from a biblical perspective, which is published by BMS World Mission in partnership with the Baptist Union of Scotland, the Baptist Union of Wales and A Rcoha.
Church of England
Parish Pump Programme, of the Conservation Foundation, organised in association with the Public Affairs Division of the Church of England.
Shrinking the Footprint campaign
Science, Medicine, Technology & Environment - resources and policy statements
Archbishop of Canterbury's environment pages
The Omega Climate Change Course was started by 2 churches in Sheffield, but seeks closer links with other faith groups and liaises closely with the Sheffield Campaign against Climate Change.
Church of Ireland
A monthly environmental magazine, called Greening the Church, is produced by the Church in Society Ecological and Environmental Panel of the Church of Ireland, and is available for download.
Church of Scotland
A number of useful downloads are available on this site, for instance the Church of Scotland's response to The Scottish Climate Change Bill (Word) and the report to the 2007 General Assembly: Energy for a Changing Climate (Word)
Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches
Methodist Church
At the 2009 conference, the report Hope in God's Future: Christian Discipleship in the Context of Climate Change (PDF) 
was debated.
Creation Challenge
A joint Methodist / URC environmental network providing a resource for churches and individuals.
Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Religious Society of Friends
Quaker Living Witness project
Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales
Diocese of Westminster: Climate change a crucial issue
Sound of Many Waters initiative of the Diocese of Clifton, endorsed by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
life4seekers eco pages (Catholic Enquiry Office)
Roman Catholic Church in Ireland
On this site, a search (box in left hand column) on Environment or Climate change brings up a very large number of relevant articles.
Salvation Army
Textile recycling
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Climate Change Justice and Health Initiative pages include the paper Why Does the Church Care About Global Climate Change?
Union of Welsh Independents
Has published an environmental pack "based on solid scriptural and scientific authority - dealing with contemporary ecological themes from a lively Christian viewpoint".
Cumbria Churches acting on climate change
How the churches in Cumbria are working together to help combat climate change.
Other groups
Stop Climate Chaos
Launched on 1 September 2005, the charity Stop Climate Chaos aims to be the broadest and most diverse coalition yet established within the UK to campaign for changes to government policy on climate change. Its membership includes many Christian environmental organisations, along with other UK leading environmental bodies and international development agencies. The I Count public campaign is the coalition's prime vehicle for engaging the public.
Green awards
The first-ever Church Times Green Church Awards ceremony was held on 19th November 2007. Full information about the scheme is available at:
www.greenchurchawards.org
Stewarding the Earth's Resources
A resource for the church about waste reduction, re-use and recycling. Now includes a quarterly publication to raise the profile of church involvement in promoting sustainable development.
Sage
Oxford's Christian Environmental Group
The Green Bible
Verses and passages that speak to God's care for creation are highlighted in green, includes a 'green Bible index' and personal study guide, and is printed on recycled paper, using soy-based ink with a cotton/linen cover.
Directgov
The Government is now offering an increasing amount of advice on environmental issues and this can be found in the environment and greener living section of Directgov. This includes a carbon calculator.
The Evangelical Environmental Network and Creation Care Magazine
An American based organisation that seeks to educate, inspire, and mobilise Christians in their efforts to care for God's creation and protect the environment.
Creation Care for Pastors
An American site which contains many useful resources and links.
Web of Creation
Established to foster the movement for eco-justice - described as any effort that promotes ecological integrity with social justice as a central focus of religious understanding. Maintained by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Other faiths
The Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC)
A secular body that helps the world's major religions to develop their environmental programmes, based on their own teachings, beliefs and practices, links them with other key environmental organisations, and lists faith-based environmental programmes around the world.
The London Islamic Network for the Environment (LINE)
The UK's first local Islamic environmental group, open to people of all faiths and beliefs.
Ecobites
A UK based environmental E-newsletter especially for the Muslim community.
Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES)
An internationally recognized body which articulates the Islamic position on issues relating to destruction the Earth's eco-systems while at the same time suggesting practical responses for Muslims. Its newsletter is EcoIslam.
Ecological Buddhism
A Buddhist website looking at the science and solutions to global warming.
The Big Green Jewish Website
A joint venture by The Noah Project, Britain's Jewish environmental group, and The Board of Deputies of British Jews.
