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A changing climateA changing climate

Climate Change & a Christian

Response

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Is it warming?

Worldview

WorldviewsWorldviews

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Why I believe what I believeWhy I believe what I believe

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Proof(?)Proof(?)

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The climate is The climate is warmingwarming

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Our home is Our home is warmingwarming

base period 1951-1980

Global average surface temperature in 2011 was 9th warmest since 1880.9 of 10 warmest years in modern met record have occurred since 2000.

NASA

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AR4, IPCC

ProxiesProxies

Tree ring growth Bore holes Ice cores Coral banding Glacier lengths Sediment cores

© NOAA

© BOM

Industrial period Industrial period temperatures are temperatures are

warmestwarmest since since 600 AD600 AD

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Ocean heat content is Ocean heat content is risingrising

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Impact are Impact are alreadyalready being felt being felt

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ImpactsImpacts

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2003 European 2003 European heatwave heatwave killed ~killed ~ 70,000 people70,000 people

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JJA 2003

Swiss monthly temps 1864-2003

estimated that over the 20th century, human influences more than doubled the risk of having a summer in Europe as hot as that of 2003

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Human activityHuman activity is mostly is mostly responsibleresponsible

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The The basicbasic science is well science is well foundedfounded and over 150 years old and over 150 years old

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Continuous record shows Continuous record shows COCO22 increasing increasing since 1950s since 1950s

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““Global atmosphericGlobal atmospheric cconcentrations of carbon oncentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide …now far nitrous oxide …now far exceed pre-industrial exceed pre-industrial values determined from values determined from ice cores..”.ice cores..”.

=> At least 650,000 yrs=> At least 650,000 yrs

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ModelsModels consistent with consistent with greenhouse warminggreenhouse warming

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Global warming is Global warming is due to humansdue to humans

Hum

an f

acto

rs

Effects ofthe sun

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The heater vs. blanketsThe heater vs. blankets

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Stratospheric cooling Stratospheric cooling consistent with consistent with COCO22 warming warming

Balloons

Satellite

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Future will be Future will be grimgrim if we do if we do not actnot act

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For the next two decades a warming of about 0.2For the next two decades a warming of about 0.2C per decade C per decade is projected for a range of SRES emission scenarios. Even if the is projected for a range of SRES emission scenarios. Even if the concentrations of all greenhouse gases and aerosols had been concentrations of all greenhouse gases and aerosols had been kept constant at year 2000 levels, a further warming of about kept constant at year 2000 levels, a further warming of about 0.1°C per decade would be expected. 0.1°C per decade would be expected.

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2 degrees2 degrees

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We are producing We are producing GHGsGHGs at an at an increasingincreasing rate! rate!

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A A 44 C C warmed world could look warmed world could look like thislike this

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Christianity is Christianity is well equippedwell equipped to to inform our thinking & actioninform our thinking & action

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TTheologyheology

Creational monotheism– Not ‘green’ but biblical– Combating evangelical dualism

Gospel-creation connection– Evangelism & creation care– Holism

Justice-creation connection– Caring for poor– Intergenerational

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CCatholic atholic TTheologyheology

"It becomes more and more evident that there is an inseparable link between peace with creation and peace among men."... Pope Benedict XVI

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St FrancisSt Francis

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth,who feeds us and rules us,and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

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KKey ey PPassagesassages

Gen 1 – cosmic templeGen 2 – gardeners by appointmentPs 104 – God of biodiversityRm 8 – groaning creation1 Cor 15 – resurrection theology2 Peter 3 – refinement not destructionJeremiah 29:6-8 – living in exileGood Samaritan – neighbours in a globalised

atmosphere & economyOthers…..

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