Church of Scotland Takes Climate Change to World Stage

NEXT week the Church of Scotland takes its climate change message to the world stage, as officials prepare to address Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General, and the Duke of Edinburgh.



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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The Windsor Celebration of the Faith Commitments for a Living Planet

The Church of Scotland has been invited to The Windsor Celebration of the Faith Commitments for a Living Planet.

Adrian Shaw will be taking the Church of Scotland's Commitment on behalf of the Church of Scotland by the Moderator of the General Assembly, the Right Reverend William Hewitt.


The Church of Scotland welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Windsor Celebration of Faith Commitments for a Living Planet.

We bring to the celebration the commitment made at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2009 to respond to the challenge of climate change.

“The Church of Scotland is concerned that climate change poses a serious and immediate threat to people everywhere, particularly to the poor of the earth; and that climate change represents a failure in our stewardship of God’s creation. We accept the need to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases urgently to avoid dangerous and irreversible climate change; and to promote a more equitable and sustainable use of energy.”

To respond to this challenge the Church of Scotland is:

• Developing the project Responding to Climate Change by providing project funding for the project for three years from November 2009.

• Instructing 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 5% of their carbon footprint

• Encouraging congregations to become eco-congregations and supporting the incorporation of Eco-Congregation Scotland as a charitable company.




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