Durban 2012 COP17 Climate Summit Report

Charles Agboklu of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana and coordinator of the Religious Bodies network on Climate Change has written an informative report about the Durban conference for the All African Conference of Churches.

Excerpt:

Faith Based Organizations share in the sentiments and actions that will make equity, justice and ethical considerations central to future global negotiations. Alliances with independent bodies that share like minds on our common humanity are a sure way forward to impressing on the polluting nations that there is no substitute to planet earth. All actions must therefore be geared towards strengthening the VOICE for the demands of equity, justice and fair play during future Conference of Parties.

To download the full report (pdf file) click here.

Can churches in Scotland get free recycling bins from the council?

This is a question that we get asked a lot. Some local authorities will provide recycling bins for churches and some won't. In Edinburgh they do and this is the City of Edinburgh Council's guidance note:

GUIDANCE NOTE
REMOVAL OF WASTE FROM PLACES OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP
CHURCHES

By virtue of the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 waste arising from premises exempted from section 22(f) of the Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act 1956(g) (churches etc) is to be treated as household waste.
In plain language this means that waste emanating from Churches and places of religious worship including their associated halls and residencies is household waste.

Schedule 2 of the 1992 Regulations further refine the definitions and identify certain household waste for which a charge may be made.

For the avoidance of doubt waste from Churches and other places of religious worship fall outwith the definitions in Schedule 2.

In consequence there no authority to charge Churches for the removal of the waste that they produce.
This will include items booked as a special uplift.
No charges should be applied for the removal of waste from Churches.

The only exception to this are churches in streets too narrow for the recycling lorry or with pavements too narrow to take the boxes and allow pedestrians to pass safely.

As the same law applies across Scotland, any church having problems getting a recycling bin should contact their local authority waste management department and make them aware of the rules.

Eco-Congregations in the Reformed Church in Hungary

Rev Ian Alexander, Rev Tamás Kodácsy, Right Rev David Arnott, Rev Eszter Karsay

The Right Reverend David Arnott, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland recently visited Hungary and met Tamas Kodácsy, who is leading the development of Ökogyülekezet, the eco-congregation movement in Hungary.  He reports on his visit.

The Reformed Church in Hungary (RCH) has an historic connection with the Church of Scotland and an exciting growth point is our common interest in eco-congregations.  Their 'Church Market Garden' programme is trying to establish a direct link between rural farmers and the urban consumers of the church.

It arose out of a sense of responsibility for our created world, all human beings, animals and vegetables.
At the end of September 2011 they celebrated Creation Time 'Recycling. . . .so that nothing may be lost.' For the first time this was celebrated ecumenically with discussion leaflets, brochures and posters. The working group set up by the RCH contains many of the leading thinkers and activists on green issues in Hungary and recently they were invited by the Hungarian government to contribute to an on-going discussion. I am really pleased that the Church of Scotland is working with the RCH to support eco-congregations both in Hungary and in Scotland and that we can work and learn together to care for creation. 

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Ökogyülekezet (Eco-Congregation) Hungary recently launched a web site which can be found here: http://www.okogyulekezet.hu/

Examples of environmental action by churches needed for new book.

A message from Neil Hollow of St Paul's and St George's Church in Edinburgh:

"I'm jointly writing a book on a Christian response to peak oil called "No Oil in the Lamp: Faith, Fuel and the Energy Crisis", as part of this we want to feature examples of churches taking action in the following areas; transport, energy use, using growing local food and interaction with the transition movement. I would like to visit preferably or chat with a representative on the phone."

If anyone is interested in helping Neil, please contact us and we will put you in touch.

Scottish Government Announces New Sustainable Transport Funding Package

The Scottish Sustainable Network report on the Scottish Government announcement on a new Sustainable Transport Funding Package:

The Scottish Government last week announced details of a new four year sustainable transport fund. The Future Transport Fund is a four year £50 million funding package targeted at improving cycling infrastructure, shifting freight from road to rail and supporting low carbon vehicles.

The Fund will help support:
- The development of electric vehicle infrastructure and the Plugged in Places Programme.
- Sustrans to work in partnership with Local Authorities to develop the National Cycle Network and short community links.
- The wider roll out of low carbon buses via a third round of the Scottish Green Bus Fund in 2013/14.
- The continuation of Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) to support businesses to move freight from road to rail or sea

The Scottish Government have allocated an initial £11.1 million for the period 2012/13 – 2013/14.
A further £18.75 million will be announced in early 2013 for the period 2014/15. The remaining 20.25 million will be allocated in 2015/16.

The initial funding over 2012/13 – 2014/15 will be allocated as follows:
- £2.75 million will go to Cycling Infrastructure: £1.5 million in 2012-13 and £1.25 million in 2013-14
- £2.75 million will go to Freight Modal Shift: £0.75 million in 2012/13 and £2 million in 2013/14
- £5.5 million will go to Low Carbon Vehicles, including Green Buses: £1.0 million in 2012/13 and £4.5 million in 2013-14.

Read more by clicking on the link: http://www.sustainable-scotland.net/news.asp?id=2204

See also our Eco-Congregation Scotland at Stop Climate Chaos Scotland Rally blog: http://ecocongregationscotland.blogspot.com/2012/01/eco-congregation-scotland-at-stop.html

The Scottish Green List

Do you know someone you would like to nominate for this year's Scottish Green Champion's Award 2012? Please check out the details and download nomination forms on: http://www.scottishgreenlist.org.uk/

New Scottish Government Campaign to promote Greener Lifestyles

The Scottish Government has launched a new campaign to encourage people to work together to reduce Scotland’s carbon emissions and live more environmentally friendly lifestyles.  The campaign uses a television advert to encourage people to visit a new web site http://www.greenerscotland.org/. This contains information themed around the ten key behaviour changes the government are concentrating on along with a very clever tool called My Greener Plan that assesses visitors’ current environmental behaviour and suggests small changes which would make a difference. People can opt to register for the service and receive updates and further suggestions.

Here is the TV ad:

This campaign fits in very well with the work of Eco-Congregation Scotland because we are using the same ten key behaviour changes as a framework for our work with church congregations and members.

We encourage people to visit the web site and use the information and  My Greener Plan. The intention is that the amount of information available and links to other organisations will continue to grow.

The Ten Key Behaviour Changes

These were identified by the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Behaviour Research Programme.

Home Energy
1. Installing a more efficient energy system or generating your own.
2. Keeping the heat in.
3. Better heating management.
4. Saving electricity

Transport
5. Becoming less reliant on the car.
6. Driving more efficiently
7. Using alternatives to flying where practical

Food
8. Avoiding food waste
9. Eating a healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables, locally in season where we live
10. Reducing and Reusing