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Don’t get Hayhoe wrong: She’s convinced that climate change is happening and that humans are causing it, like the vast majority of other climate scientists. She just doesn’t like talking about something like climate science in terms of “belief.”
“Belief” is for God and, for some at this time of year, Santa. It’s about faith and “the evidence of things not seen.” With climate change, we’ve seen the evidence. We know the facts. We’ve analyzed the data using “the brains that God gave us,” as Hayhoe has said. She both believes in God and accepts the reality of climate change. And she isn’t alone.
A national public opinion poll administered by researchers at the University of Maryland recently found that three out of four Christians think it’s important to address climate change. Moreover, majorities (72% of Evangelicals and 83% of Catholics) are in favor of an international agreement that would reduce carbon pollution.
This research, as one of the study co-authors points out, “challenges common political stereotypes” and demonstrates “the public’s strong moral impulse to address global policy challenges — an impulse that, if applied properly, could break the current impasse on these issues.”
So could reframing climate change as a moral rather than a political issue help move discussion forward in the U.S.?
It’s an interesting idea — and certainly the one behind the new Climate Ethics Campaign, which, as its name suggests, aims to make U.S. leaders see that they have an ethical responsibility to address climate change. Just earlier this month, the campaign issued a statement explaining how neglecting to address the climate problem is shirking the moral obligations to:
- Prevent suffering and protect human life;
- Honor principles of justice and equity; and
- Protect the processes that make life possible.
The statement has ignited the moral courage of many religious leaders. The leaders of evangelical networks and alliances have added their signatures to the document, next to those of Catholic ministers, sisters from several orders, and Presbyterian reverends.
But “believers” aren’t the only ones who signed. So did over 1,200 others from a diverse range of businesses and advocacy organizations. If you’re compelled by the statement’s message, you, too, can sign online.
I’ve tried, in this post, to steer clear of sharing my personal beliefs on both religion and Santa (wink!). But I can’t close without divulging one belief that I, and my colleagues at The Climate Reality Project, all share. We can work together, with a sense of urgency, to solve this climate crisis. If you’re with us, leave a comment (or even just an “Amen!”) below.
Marilyn Durand
December 16th
Amen!
Rhonda Fenner
December 17th
AMEN! It can’t hurt to try a new approach. Climate change needs to be addressed!
Lynn Davies
December 17th
Religion is a matter of belief. Climate change is not – it is an objective reality. To treat climate change as if it were a matter of “belief” is an act of moral cowardice and intellectual fraud. Those who truly believe in a religion must recognise our obligation to protect the world we live in and not to shirk our responsibilities in the name of profit and selfishness. Science and religion are not at odds over this. Only those who refuse to accept the evidence of science and reject the moral responsibility which comes with religious faith stand in the way of change for the better. Those who respect science, other peoples’ beliefs, and the earth itself, must stand together against those who have no respect at all.
j kanuch
December 17th
amen! God has charged us as humans to take care of the earth.
Russell Holmes
December 17th
Interfaith Power and Light. A Religious response to global warming. ipl.org is a nationwide faith based group dedicated to education and advocacy. Many faith groups share our concerns.Many hold conferences, assist with renewable energy projects,etc.
We are called to be good stewards of Earth and to be a voice for the poor, who suffer with climate ch seaange and rising seas.
Bruce Francis Retka
December 17th
Finally, a sensible and informed person takes the climate change debate and puts things in language that should be easy for anyone to understand.
Linda Nagare
December 18th
AMEN!
Keith Henty
December 20th
Good blog, thanks Kristin and thank you for your work. We at the Geos Institute in Ashland, Oregon are also watching Hayhoe’s work with interest. The Geos Institute has a process called ClimateWise®(www.climatewise.org) that uses science and facilitation to help community leaders with climate change action-adaptation planning.
Best wishes,
Keith Henty
Joan Smiley
December 23rd
What a creative and impowering approach! I hope it is developed in many communities. Connecting an awareness of the fragility of the environment as it is impacted by our individual and collective actions and decisions is essential.
We have the opportunity to be pro-active and care responsibly for future generationsand preserve our planet as home for humans and a rich diversity of animal and plant life.
We need to develop a greater appreciation for our planet and an awareness of our ability to disrupt its rhytmn and and productivity.
Amen.
Henri Westland
December 24th
The Flood mentioned in the Bible was probably a true climate change problem. That Flood will never come again. It was promised and so be it. Humans are perfectly able to tackle the today globe warming. We all know that uprising earthsurface warmth(infra red) heats the air and the carbon. So why don’t we reduce that infra red? We can do that by keeping the earth surface 1 or 2 degrees cooler. We can insulate the earth surface on strategic places. The effect is less absorbing heat in the surface. And moreover the infra red is stopped completely. Global warming or Flood Age was caused by exessive growth of vegetation and growth of snow cover. Both materials are natural and both have insulating abilities. If we insulate the oceans we will face a globe that will be white as a christmas ball. Everything will be covered forgood in snow. WHAT CAN BE HEATED IF SNOW RULES ALL HEAT ABSORBING EARTH CRUST MATERIALS? Please be aware of the fact that snow cannot melt in full sunshine. It only melts when the air temp is above zero. If God gave us a very dangerous weapon to kill all nature in a deepfrozen layer of snow? There it is. Total genocide? Pop up insulation material on the ocean surface and the next day we have killed ourselves forever.