One of the ways we can work towards a more environmentally sustainable world is to share with each other ideas for caring for creation, reducing carbon emissions, restoring nature, and making those in power aware of our concerns. Our Diocesan Environment Advent Calendar has 24 such ideas!
On this page
Environment Advent Calendar 2024
This year for the first time the Diocese has produced an Environment Advent Calendar.
It is full of inspirational stories (and pictures!) about what's been happening in the Diocese in the past 12 months. You can find out how one church reduced their energy use by 40% for £300, what you can do to support bees and butterflies, how churches are using their churchyards for the community, what motivates some people to take to the streets, how much a repair cafe can contribute to reducing carbon emissions, how toilets are an important part of our Eco journey, the amazing work schools are doing, why one Essex cricket club is featured, what churches are doing about solar panels and heating systems, how to make your own Christmas tree, how the Virgin Mary fits in, and much much more!
29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) November 11 to 22, 2024.
This is what the United Nations says about COP29:
"The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024, is a pivotal opportunity to accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis. With global temperatures hitting record highs, and extreme weather events affecting people around the globe, COP29 will bring together leaders from governments, business and civil society to find concrete solutions to the defining issue of our time.
A key focus of COP29 will be on finance, as trillions of dollars are required for countries to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change.
The conference will also be a key moment for countries to present their updated national climate action plans under the Paris agreement, which are due by early 2025. If done right, these plans will limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and double as investment plans advancing the Sustainable Development Goals."
Find out more about COP29 here or visit the site from the host country.
Read what Christian Aid says about rich country involvement in some of the pre-conference finance negotiations.
For prayer and worship resources for COP29 visit the "Worship resources for particular Sundays and periods in the year" section on this page
On November 8th, a number of faith groups are coming together to urge the UK government to carry a strong message to COP29 that the fossil fuel industries and the prosperous countries who have benefited from their profit and growth – at the expense of the lives and livelihoods of the world poorest and most affected by climate change – must provide adequate funds to enable people on the frontlines to adapt. Two actions are planned, one in the morning, the other in the afternoon, with time for lunch and socialising in between. One action will highlight the acute need of front line countries for finance for adaptation to climate change. The other is a “polluters must pay” action, urging the countries and companies who have contributed the most to climate change to pay for the damage they have caused. Details are not yet finalised but if you are interested in joining, have a look at the Christian Climate Action webpage on this.
Hope for the Future support and advise individuals and groups who want to communicate with their MP about the climate crisis, including about COP29.
Our lead Bishop for the Environment, Rt Rev'd Bishop Roger shares a message and prayer for COP29 below:
Season of Creation 2024 - To Hope and Act with Creation
Taking action, especially on such crucial issues as caring for our common home, generates hope in our communities. When we act, we are not only doing something positive for creation, but we also inspire others to follow suit.
During the Season of Creation 2024 there were a number of events in the Diocese.
You can find out more about these on our dedicated webpage.
On October 2nd we held a celebration day at Chelmsford Cathedral.
This started with a reflective retreat on "Hope in a time of Climate Crisis," followed by stalls and refreshments.
A Service of Celebration started at 5.15pm. Our lead Bishop for the Environment, Rt Rev'd Roger Morris, spoke, and two primary schools, Colne Engaine and St Andrew's Halstead shared with us some of what they are doing in their schools to care for creation, and sang a beautiful song: "I am the Earth."
To finish, there was a Q&A panel chaired by Rev'd Sandra Eldridge, Diocesan Environmental Officer, with panel members:
Mark Smith from Love Your Chelmsford,
Melanie Nazareth, Churches Engagement Officer for Green Christian,
Steven Green, Essex Organic Farmer, sensitive to the environment.
Watch the address by Bishop Roger and the Q&A panel below:
The General Election 2024
To help individuals and churches who wanted to raise issues around climate change and nature loss with their parliamentary candidates and with others during the run-up to July 4th, the Church of England Central Envirnoment Team compiled a list of five key asks to be used in a variety of ways. These were:
Energy efficient and low carbon homes. Ensure all new build houses are built to net-zero standards and fund the retrofitting of all public sector housing to increase energy efficiency. This means that new homes should be highly energy efficient and run without using fossil fuels, and existing homes become easier and cheaper to keep warm and dry. More information here.
Leave fossil fuels behind and invest in renewable energy. Stop investment and exploration in new sources of fossil fuel extraction. Instead focus on moving to new, renewable technology and improving the capacity and resilience of the National Grid. More information here.
Loss and Damage Fund. Keep the UK’s promise to support a fund for countries which have already suffered loss of lives, homes and livelihoods because of climate change, including a commitment of financial support from the UK. More information here.
Nature Recovery. Keep the UK’s promise to halt and reverse the loss of wildlife and manage 30% of the land and sea for nature by 2030. Known as 30 by 30, the UK joined this global pledge when it was agreed at the biodiversity COP15 in December 2022. The Nature 2030 campaign sets out 5 actions needed to keep this pledge. More information here.
Support the Climate and Nature Bill. This is a bill which aims to join up the climate and nature crises, cut emissions, halt the decline of nature and ensure this is all done fairly and with the involvement of the UK public. More information here.
The Eco Church scheme enable churches to demonstrate that the gospel is good news for the whole of God's creation.
There are many actions our churches can take to reduce waste, encourage biodiversity, and reducing carbon emissions. These actions can be small, for example stopping using disposable cups, including the environment more in intercessions or planting wild flowers, or large, for example installing solar panels and heat pumps. To help churches to consider what actions they might take, starting with smaller actions and building up to larger ones, A Rocha set up Eco Church.
Nearly 40% of churches in the Diocese have registered for Eco Church via the A Rocha website. A Rocha provide a wealth of resources to help churches consider their environmental credentials in five separate areas. For more information about the scheme and how to get started, go to the "Getting Started with Eco Church" section on this webpage.
Can you support tree planting in Kenya?
During the Season of Creation in 2023 we listened to those from around the world talking about the effects of climate change in their countries (scroll down for more information). One of those countries was Kenya. All over Kenya, churches, schools, organisations and individuals are planting trees to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.
Peter Cowley Africa Trust appeal for tree planting in Kenya
28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) November 30 to December 12, 2023.
The main achievements of COP28 are summarised here.
Listen to our Lead Bishop for the environment, the Rt Rev'd Roger Morris, reflecting on COP28:
Season of Creation and Black History Month 2023
Climate Justice is Racial Justice
In September and October 2023 we organised a series of events covering the Season of Creation and Black History Month. Picking up on the Season of Creation theme "Let Justice and Peace Flow" we explored the relationship between climate justice and racial justice under the umbrella "Climate Justice is Racial Justice."
The Programme for Season of Creation and Black History Month 2023
The programme (see below) developed from thinking about the effects of climate change which are being disproportionately felt by those who have done the least to cause this change and have the least resources to deal with what they are facing. In fact, the damage falls mostly on people of colour.
In three events during the Season of Creation we heard first-hand about the effects of climate change in different parts of the world and in a fourth event, Jeremy Williams, a writer and campaigner, the author of "Climate Change is Racist: Race, Privilege and the Struggle for Climate Justice", and the editor of the Christian Climate Action book "Time to Act", drew together what we had heard, and talked about causes and consequences. During Black History Month we explored the relationship between climate justice and racial justice further through poetry, a day-long study day, and a conversation about what we do next. Our programme is below and you can find recordings of all the sessions on our dedicated "Climate Justice is Racial Justice" page.
Resources
These are resources that we recommended alongside the Season of Creation and Black History Month events in 2023.
Podcasts:
Dr Selina Stone. Fire, Fire, Fire. Black faith and the Environmental Crisis.
In this podcast Dr Stone talks about climate change and the human actions that are leading to recent climate chaos. She says: I explore some of the beliefs which can prevent us from taking our responsibility for creation care seriously. And I discuss how caring for the earth ties in to our wider concerns for social justice.
Videos:
Bishop Qampicha of Marsabit Diocese in Kenya talks to Sandra Eldridge, Chelmsford Diocese Enviromental Officer about The Effects of Climate Change in the Diocese of Marsabit.
This Al Jazeera video describes long term effects of the 2022 Pakistan floods.
These two Christian Aid Videos focus on the links between climate justice and racial justice. The first video is very short. Robert Beckford and others talk about these link. The second video is longer; a panel talk about why racial justice is at the heart of climate justice.
Books and articles:
Jeremy Williams. Climate Change is Racist: Race, Privilege and the Struggle for Climate Justice. Icon Books Ltd. 2021. In this book, the author takes us on a short, urgent journey across the globe from Kenya to India, the USA to Australia - to understand how climate justice and racial justice overlap.
Websites:
