Church representatives are using Tuesday’s Alliance of Religions and Conservation event at Windsor Castle as an opportunity to voice the Kirk’s concerns to a global audience. Right Reverend Bill Hewitt, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, has long maintained that climate change poses a serious and immediate threat to people everywhere, particularly to the poor of the earth.
Mr Hewitt is sending a statement of support, as church figures urge world leaders to accept the need to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases urgently to avoid dangerous and irreversible climate change, ahead of a December’s global summit in Copenhagen.
In May, the Church issued an edict calling on all of its Presbyteries to produce a plan setting out how they will measure energy consumption in their church buildings, ascertain their carbon footprint and achieve a year-on-year reduction of five per cent of that figure. It has also decided to employ a climate change officer for three years, beginning on Tuesday, as it seeks to become a catalyst for positive environmental action in communities across Scotland. Kirk officials are also encouraging congregations to join the ecumenical Eco-Congregation Scotland scheme, with more than 200 churches already signed up. Members pledge to take better stewardship of God’s creation and to stimulate grassroots activity in their area.
More radical changes include parts of a refurbished church in Perthshire being made out of old Wellington boots, yoghurt pots and mobile phones, and a minister in Papa Westray powering his car by recycled chip fat oil from his local take-away outlet.
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