Climate Emergency
“When our very existence is threatened by our insatiable exploitation of this precious earth, we have to speak up and we have to take action.” The Bishop of Colchester, Right Reverend Roger Morris (Oct '19).
The UK government has declared a climate change emergency, and will commit to new targets for reducing carbon emissions.
For more information about environmental action and resources follow the links provided below.
Transformation Cornwall has worked with Churches Together in Cornwall, All Saints Highertown, the Diocese of Truro, and Green Christian to create a Climate Justice Toolkit packed with resources, information, prayers as well as ideas for sermons, reading & youth work. Download the Toolkit HERE.
COP26 Coalition: A UK-based civil society coalition of groups and individuals organising for climate justice during COP26. Coalition members include environment and development NGOs, trade unions, grassroots community campaigns, faith groups, youth groups, migrant and racial justice networks.
Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN): An action-focused community of young Christians in the UK aged 18-30, choosing to follow Jesus in the pursuit of climate justice.
Burning Down the House: Research from Youthscape and Tearfund which finds that Christian young people are concerned about climate change and energised to bring about change through their church communities.
Diocese of Truro Environment Strategy: Launched in Feb 2021, the strategy sets out three specific priorities for the future: Cherish Creation, Cut Carbon, Speak Out. Read more about the launch and the Diocese Environmental Officer, Ben Lillie HERE.
Green Church Kernow Awards: Environmental award scheme covering three categories: Christian Living, Community and Resources and offers opportunities to churches of all kinds to get involved.
Green Christian: 'A community of ordinary Christians from all backgrounds and traditions. Inspired by our faith, we work to care for Creation through prayer, living simply, public witness, campaigning and mutual encouragement.'
Christian Climate Action: a community of Christians supporting each other to take meaningful action in the face of imminent and catastrophic anthropogenic climate breakdown. Inspired by Jesus Christ, and social justice movements of the past, we carry out acts of non-violent direct action to urge those in power to make the change needed.
Eco Church South West: In response to globally recognised ecological concerns, across the South West the Church of England is challenging a destructive culture of ease and wastefulness.
Caring for Gods Acre: works nationally to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy burial grounds.
Climate Vision: Top ten pledges: Climate Vision have created a list of ten easy to implement pledges, to help implement global carbon reduction.
Creation Care: The Creation Care scheme aims to encourage households to make changes to care for God’s earth. Wherever households are on their creation care journey, Creation Care provide ideas for their next steps, and recognise the progress they’ve made.
Community Energy Plus: work in partnership with a wide range of public, private and third sector organisations to support a variety of innovative projects relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy including community ownership models.
Cornwall Council Climate Change Action Plan (July 2019): The target for Cornwall is to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Car Share Cornwall Part of the National Social Enterprise Liftshare, Car Share Cornwall enables organised car sharing by connecting people travelling in the same direction so they can arrange to travel together and share the costs, whilst reducing congestion and pollution at the same time
Environmental Change - a toolkit for fundraisers: The Institute of Fundraising (IoF) has launched a free-to-download guide on environmental change for charities and fundraisers.
Spiritual Leaders Speak: Bridging faiths in the name of Extinction Rebellion: Article on the Faith Bridge led by a coalition of Extinction Rebellion (XR) spiritual groups (Oct 2019).
A Good Life For All Within Planetary Boundaries: This website has been designed to let you visualise and compare the environmental and social progress of nations relative to the Doughnut of social and planetary boundaries.
Shrinking the footprint. Shrinking the Footprint is the Church of England’s national environmental campaign that exists to enable the whole church to address - in faith, practice and mission - the issue of climate change. It contains a wealth of resources including prayers, hymns, advice and guidance as well as some helpful case studies. To get started in thinking about how you can reduce your parish’s carbon footprint, see their Taking Action checklist.
World Wildlife Fund: Environmental footprint calculator. Useful online tool to work out your own environmental footprint.
.