Denial (ain’t just a river in Egypt) Dr. Mike Edwards Climate Change Advisor CAFOD

Setting the scene Our relationship with nature The causes of climate change The impacts What can I do?

When did we lose touch with…

“I’m a lover of learning, and trees and open country won’t teach me anything, whereas men in town do.” (Socrates)

“Nature takes orders from man and works under his authority.” (Bacon)

“I think, therefore I am.” Descartes separated spirit from matter, mind from nature. “to make us masters and possessors of nature.”

!?

As we have separated from nature We have made other connections! We have started to consume as a Way to fill our lives with ‘meaning’. Growth for growth’s sake

Population

Causes of climate change

Is climate change a serious threat? “There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities.” (IPCC) Climate models predict that by 2100: - global temperature will rise by about °C -sea-level will rise by about 9-88cm. Worst-case!

Short-term CO 2 variation R. A. Rohde (

1995Suggestions of human influences on global climate 2001 Stronger evidence that most of the warming was due to human activity 2007 “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal…”

Why do the poorest people in developing countries suffer the impacts of climate change first and worst?

Technology provides part of the solution. But there will still be impacts… the CO 2 you produce today will still be in the atmosphere in 2107! So what do we do?

Look with fresh eyes Reconnect with the natural world Be educated as well as educating others! The knowledge is there, indigenous people can guide us The message for all of us is clear… Live simply, sustainably and in solidarity

Extracts from The Call of Creation by The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales (2002)

Damage to the environment will almost inevitably affect the poor most of all.

The plight of the earth demonstrates that an individualistic materialism cannot be allowed to drive out responsibility and love, and that care for those in need, and respect for the rights of future generations, are necessary to sustain a proper life for all.

As ‘co-creators’, our acts should reflect God’s own love for creation. We ourselves are part of creation, formed out of earth, and dependent on the rest of creation for our continued existence: so we are made aware that caring for creation is part of caring for ourselves (Genesis 2:15)

Individual choices can seem insignificant when faced with such global challenges. But multiplied individual actions can indeed make a real difference.

This PowerPoint is based on an original presentation by Dr. Mike Edwards. Images: Mike Edwards, Tina Leme, Jim Stipe, Richard Wainright, Simon Rawles, Ivan Nascimento, Anna Field, Jon Spaull, Philippe Mouguin, Microsoft clipart, NASA/ Bust of Socrates, Museé de Louvre, Paris. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 License. In short: you are free to share and make derivative works of the file under the conditions that you appropriately attribute it, and that you distribute it only under a license identical to this one. Official license This fileCreative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5Official license Portrait of Francis Bacon. Photographic reproduction of the original work of art is in the public domain due to copyright expiration. Portrait of René Descartes, by Frans Hals, Museé de Lourve, Paris. This image is in the public domain due to copyright expiration. Graph of short-term CO2 variation R. A. Rohde Some of the images used in this PowerPoint are from unknown sources. This presentation must only be used for educational purposes.