Download Environment Position Statement 2007

ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF WANGARATTA
ENVIRONMENTAL CARE PROGRAM
ONLY ONE EARTH
For some of us it is
the best of times
For others it is the
worst of times.
Position Statement, February 2007
Embedded within our belief in God’s creation of the world is the
challenge to sustain life on earth in all its forms.
Many indigenous peoples understood this challenge well. But in the 21st Century
lifestyles of most Australians, connection with the other organisms with which we
share our planet, and the earth which supports us all, has been all but lost.
Australia as a nation has one of the heaviest ecological footprints. If the six billion
humans on the planet all lived like us, another two planet Earths would be needed
to sustain our species.
Yet Humans are the one species which holds the consciousness of the planet.
Those of us who are educated, read the papers and watch TV know that half of our
kind is malnourished due to drought, famine and injustice. We know that we are
greedily gobbling up the resources of the earth, and leaving devastation in our
wake. That we are still degrading our soils, jeopardising river flows, causing
salinity creep, drought and desertification We know that Australia was blessed
with incredibly unique and diverse ecosystems, and yet we are responsible for the
highest rate of extinction on the planet. There is now little doubt that the way we
produce and use energy is helping to change the global climate, melting
permafrost, changing ocean currents, and weather patterns.
Every one of us has a responsibility to Creation, we can and must make a
difference.
Our Vision :
To reduce our ecological footprint as a Diocese, Parish and Individual.
Our Strategy :
1. Individual: To develop a 10 Year Strategic Plan which will guide our actions
at National and Diocesan Levels (this may include 5 and 3 year plans).
2. To develop 3 Year rolling plans at Diocesan, Parish and local levels
3. To begin implementation of the Strategic Plans ASAP
Examples of strategies and goals at each level could be:
National:
Raising awareness of Christian duty towards Creation
Encouraging Australia’s Leaders to commit with honesty and
integrity to preventing further ecological deterioration.
Diocesan:
To lead in the journey towards lessening our ecological footprint by:
Reducing energy use in buildings, using fuel efficient cars,
Reducing water consumption by wise use and reuse of water,
Reducing paper usage, recycling where possible.
Working with Diocesan schools on their Environmental Programs.
Demonstrate commitment through articles in the media.
Parish:
Working with each Church Community to improve local and
individual Energy wise, Water wise and Waste wise practices,
Take on a project which demonstrates to the wider community our
commitment towards the environment.
Personal:
Reduce personal usage of energy, use renewable energy products,
reuse and recycle where possible; ask ‘Do I need it’ before buying,
make choices which involve sound environmental ethics.
Jesus walked very humbly on the Earth.
The Major Issues
Climate Change:
Evidence from the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change and many
other scientists, geologists, oceanographers and climatologists around the
world now leave us in no doubt that our climate has warmed dramatically in
the last 50 years. The proportion of ‘greenhouse gases’ in the atmosphere
has increased in line with global warming, and it is highly probable that
human activity, in particular the use of fossil fuels for energy, is largely
responsible for this.
Countries with low lying coastlands are losing coastline at metres per year,
as well as having sea water bubbling up through the earth in low lying areas,
and some of our own neighbours in the Pacific are looking for refugee
placement because of this.
Extreme weather conditions, avalanches and glacial melt are predicted as a
result climate change, and it is probable that we are already seeing this
process in action.
Loss of Biodiversity:
We have all heard of Australia’s high level of species extinction since
European settlement, but the implication of this is less well understood. At
the ecosystem level, loss or fragmentation of our unique ecosystems to
agriculture or other human use, especially the wetlands and forest systems,
has so reduced habitat for indigenous species that our rate of extinction wins
the global gold medal. At the species level, all the above, plus hunting,
predation by introduced animals and the effects of a warming climate or
ocean on temperature range limits have contributed to species loss. In some
ways loss of biodiversity at the genetic level is the most significant as it is
this very factor that has enabled evolution to produce so effectively the
variety of life forms that over time have inhabited the earth. Loss from the
gene pool of life due to all the human behaviours described above, plus our
insistence on huge monocultures of the crops we want, is threatening the
future of life on earth.
Water:
Australia is the driest continent on earth, we are already arguing
over the use of the precious water we have, and a warming climate
may well make the situation worse. There is a need for exemplary
management of the water sources we have in order to produce the
best outcomes for all, including those who have no human voice.
Salinity:
Ours is an ancient and naturally saline continent. The vegetation that evolved
to cope with Australian soils and climatic conditions kept water tables low
and was, to some extent, salt tolerant. The clearing of vast acreages of native
vegetation, and subsequent planting and watering of shallow rooted crops has
changed this situation, brought salt to the surface soils, and is now both
affecting water supplies and challenging our potential food supply by
steadily creeping across the land. We have enough understanding of the
situation to be able to intervene in this process, but good management, as in
so many situations, often comes second best to vested interest and financial
gain.