- 12 -
Nov 2007
Prayer-Guide
for
The Care of Creation
- 12 -
November 2007
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty . . .
because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
The nations were angry; and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name . . .
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11. 16-18)
“There is nothing in our Christian faith which allows us to escape the monumental decisions and destinies of history. We must contend against evil, even though we know that we ourselves are involved in the evil against which we contend.
We must work for the greatest possible justice in human society
and yet know that sinful self-interest will corrupt every scheme of justice
which we elaborate.” (Reinhold Niebuhr)
“The matter is quite simple. The Bible is easy to understand.
But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers.
We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any word in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly.
My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined.
How would I ever get on in the world?” (Soren Kierkegaard)
Thursday 1st November
A 10-year study by the University of East Anglia has shown that absorption of CO2 in the North Atlantic has halved between the mid-90s and 2000-2005. The oceans absorb a quarter of all CO2 emissions, the land biosphere (mainly forests) another quarter, leaving the remainder to enter the atmosphere. The research results, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, have surprised and worried scientists who now believe that the oceans might, in time, become saturated with our emissions – unable to take up any more. This would leave nearly all our emissions to warm the atmosphere.
Friday 2nd November
A report from the Energy Watch Group on global oil supply analyses production data and finds that world oil supply peaked in 2006. It will start to decline at a rate of several percent a year, creating a supply gap which can hardly be closed by growing contributions from other fossil fuels or nuclear or alternative energy sources. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has said: “The oil boom is over and will not return. All of us must get used to a different lifestyle.” James Schlesinger, former US Defense Secretary and CIA Director, said at a recent oil summit in Cork: “The battle is over, the oil peakists have won. Current US energy policy and its oil strategy in Iraq and Iran are deluded.” The decline in oil supply will influence almost all aspects of our daily life. However, a new report from the Centre for Alternative Energy (CAT) warns that oil depletion may prompt expansion in the use of liquid fuels from coal, gas and non-conventional oils, resulting in higher CO2 emissions per unit of delivered energy. Also, clearing forests to create plantations to grow biofuels inevitably releases large volumes of CO2. The report suggests that global adoption of the Contraction & Convergence model for equal rights to emit CO2 would allow the world to manage a successful reduction in fossil fuel consumption.
Saturday 3rd November
Today at Lancaster University the Lancaster Faith and Justice Commission with CEL is hosting a conference on Environmental Justice from 10.30 to 4.30. Speakers include Ellen Teague, editor of Vocation for Justice, and theologian Sr. Margaret Atkins. There are workshops on Greening our Parishes, Operation Noah, Inspiring Children to Go Green, Ethical Investment, Water, Energy, LOAF, Recycling, Biodiversity, Carbon Footprints and the award-winning DIY Eco-house Conversion. For information ring Margaret Mc Sherry on 01524 383081 or Laura Deacon on 01524 36241 or email: or
Sunday 4th November
Lord, wake us by your calling;
Lead us by your light;
Feed us with your love;
And speed us on your service, today and always.
Monday 5th November
The CAT report “zerocarbonbritain” maps a strategy called “Island Britain” whereby we can become self-sufficient in energy, thanks to the free allocation of Tradable Energy Quotas (TEQs), which reduce year on year, and the sale by auction to businesses and government of carbon permits which, again, reduce year on year. The proceeds of these weekly auctions would be used to strengthen Britain’s energy resources to the point of self-sufficiency. “Island Britain” would demonstrate to the world that we can achieve a zero-carbon society with no energy imports and no resort to “silver bullet” technologies such as carbon capture and storage.
Tuesday 6th November
The report points to the growing inequality, globally, between the “haves” and the “have nots”:
· The ratio between the average incomes of the top 5% and the bottom 5% increased from 78:1 in 1988 to 114:1 in 1993;
· In 2003 the average UK citizen emitted 9.4 tonnes of CO2; the average Tanzanian emitted 0.1 tonnes;
· In 2006 Britain’s estimated per capita GDP (adjusted for purchasing power parity) was $31,400 compared with Tanzania’s $800.
The Contraction & Convergence principle would allow every individual an equal right to the earth’s atmosphere. This would be done in two stages:
1. Scientific advice is taken on how much more carbon we can risk burning. Based on that figure, an annual reduction is agreed up to the year 2027, when emissions will have dropped to near-zero. This is the Contraction part.
2. Currently rich countries emit far more CO2 than poorer countries. Convergence would move from this unjust situation to one where everyone has an equal right to emit CO2. Every country will get its emission entitlement on the basis of population numbers. The carbon entitlements of rich countries are reduced until they converge with the (temporarily rising) shares of poorer countries. Low-emitting countries can sell their shares to wealthier high-emitting nations, using the income to buy clean technologies and so reduce their own emissions.
Two results follow:
1. Rapid investment in energy efficiency measures and renewable energy;
2. A science-based methodology for a fair distribution of carbon entitlements.
Convergence should be completed by 2014.
Wednesday 7th November
“The Politics of Climate Change – developing an all-party approach to mitigate global warming” is the title of a conference taking place at 6.30 today at Cecil Sharpe House, 2 Regents Park, London with MPs Michael Meacher, Peter Ainsworth, Chris Huhne and Green Party speaker Sian Berry. Tickets are available at the door at £15 each (£10 concessions).
Thursday 8th November
Today sees the first of the London Lectures at the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity at St. Peter’s, Vere Street, on the subject “Redeeming Creation: The Heart of Environmental Mission”. Today’s lecture by Rev. Dr. Chris Wright asks: “What is the biblical basis for environmental care and action?” and “Can ecological action be considered a legitimate part of the Christian mission?” The remaining four lectures, on Nov. 15th, 22nd & 29th, are given by Simon Stuart, a leading biodiversity expert, Miranda Harris and Dave Bookless, both of A Rocha. For further information, email:
Friday 9th November
Turning around Britain’s addiction to fossil fuels has been likened to turning around a tanker ship. Perhaps we are more like a flotilla of little boats. With the right leadership, these boats could be turned round on a single command. Turning around the world’s addiction is more daunting still, for Britain represents just one small boat in a whole fleet. But if we begin to make the turn, we have the potential to take the rest of the world round with us. And which nation is better placed than Britain to fulfil that role?
Saturday 10th November
At present there is no economic penalty attached to the environmental cost of burning carbon. If TEQs are distributed on an equal per capita basis, they will quickly become a valuable and appreciating commodity – with the majority of people burning less than their initial TEQ allowance. This means more money in the pockets of the majority of Britain’s citizens, and a powerful incentive for everyone to find ways of reducing their use of carbon. The Government would be in the enviable position of being able to implement policies that would be popular and widely adopted. The same incentives apply to businesses and industry, both private and public sectors. Britain’s engagement with energy will have changed for all time.
Sunday 11th November
Help us, Father, to be faithful caretakers of your world. May our actions preserve and not destroy. May our achievements bring benefits and not disasters. Open our eyes, Lord, to the needs of others. Take away selfishness and greed. May praise and honour and glory be given to you, Lord, for all your great goodness to us. (“Living Wisely with Creation” publ. Women’s World Day of Prayer)
Monday 12th November
Humanity in the last 200 years has spent roughly half its heritage of fossil fuels laid down over millennia. Having discovered it, we are spending it as if it were a steady and growing income. In reality, it is not income, but a limited and diminishing stock of capital. The faster it is spent, the sooner it will have gone. We must learn to live within the Earth’s income of solar energy. To make that work, we need to use wisely the final portion of our heritage. To achieve this, we need to artificially limit our consumption if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Tuesday 13th November
Wise use of our heritage requires detailed energy audits to determine the best return on energy investments. Investment in nuclear power is costly. What are the benefits? Investing in nuclear new build has been likened to paying someone to build your house, paying rent to live in it (the cost of fuel and maintenance) and finally being evicted after 30 years with the obligation to pay for the dismantling of your house and then passing on to your descendants the obligation to pay further rent for an indefinite period. It is an ongoing liability.
Wednesday 14th November
Standard economic theory places great store on short-term gains and considers future costs more affordable than costs today. This is partly because money, through inflation, becomes worth less and less as time goes on, and partly because money invested today can multiply in the future.
Climate change works in the opposite way. While money becomes less valuable over time, the costs of climate change grow and grow. Any delay in tackling it progressively increases the costs of damage limitation, repair and adaptation. This was one conclusion of the Stern Report which has yet to be accepted by society at large.
Thursday 15th November
The CAT report “zerocarbonbritain” refers to the fact that petrol-driven engines are only 20% efficient in converting the chemical energy stored in oil into useful energy. Its recommendation is to convert to electric-powered vehicles. Technologies have been developed to allow energy to flow both from car batteries to the National Grid and vice versa. Vehicle-to-Grid power (V2G) harnesses the energy storage of electric vehicle batteries for load balancing. “When the Grid’s supply exceeds its demand, the surplus is used to top up the batteries of all connected vehicles. When demand exceeds supply, those batteries are used to make up the shortfall. This effectively turns connected vehicles into additional grid storage.”
Friday 16th November
If Britain’s 27 million cars were entirely replaced by electric vehicles and their batteries had an average capacity of 15kWh, they would have a total power of 405 gigawatts – more than 10 times the average power requirement of the National Grid. Even if only a fraction of our cars were plugged in at any given time, because most cars remain parked for most of the day, they could provide much of the extra storage necessary to the Grid for security of supply when much of that supply will come from renewables.
Saturday 17th November
Today at Blackfriars, Oxford, a colloquium takes place on the Ethics of Climate Change. Speakers include Professor Sir Brian Heap (St. Edmunds College, Cambridge), Professor R.J. Berry (University College, London) Professor Chris Rapley (British Antarctic Survey) Dr. Margaret Atkins OSA (Blackfriars) Ruth Jarman (CEL) Clifford Longley, Dr. Nicholas Grey (Wells for India) Dr. Julian Caldecott (UN Environment Programme) and the Hon. John Battle MP. Attendance is by invitation. For requests for invitations, please contact Br. Lawrence Lew at:
Sunday 18th November
We thank you, Lord, for the men and women of determination who have taken the lead in the struggle to protect your creation from exploitation and degradation. Help us, in our turn, to give of ourselves, not counting the cost, for the sake of your dear Son, who died that we might live.
Monday 19th November
Fires in southern Brazil and Bolivia have been raging out of control according to Roberto Smeraldi, head of FoE Brazil. Over 90% of them result from the growth of cattle ranching, which is heavily subsidised by Brazil’s National Development Bank and the World Bank. “These fires are the suicide note of mankind”, comments H. Murray-Philipson of Rainforest Concern. “While politicians talk about defining moments, destruction will continue until we begin to attribute real value to the standing forest.”