Chapter 8
Chapter 8- National leadership will inspire change
This chapter considers the need for leadership to bring about change. We look at the biblical examples of Job, Joseph and Moses in their approach to change. We consider the issues of Agriculture, Energy, and Transport. We then look at the National Church’s responsibility for environment and Christian environmental organisations. Finally we consider change as transformation and look at the implications of the resurrection of Jesus for our own lives today.
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UPDATE 1
In this chapter Martin considered the topic of Personal Carbon Allowances (PCA), and mentioned that he had attended a workshop on "Trialling personal carbon allowances" run by the Environmental Change Institute in Oxford. The report on the consultation by Dr. Tina Fawcett is now available to download. On 26 May 2008 the UK Government's Environmental Audit Committee gave its backing to the scheme. See: MPs back personal carbon credits
Of course there is still a long way to go before such a scheme could be implemented.
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UPDATE 2
Chapter 8 also considers energy issues. At the time of writing the UK government was consulting on the future of nuclear energy, but it seemed likely they would give the go-ahead, as they feel the nuclear option will be needed to meet targets to reduce carbon emissions. On 10th January 2008, they confirmed that a new generation of nuclear power stations will be built. For details see the BBC web page: New nuclear plants get go-ahead. Greenpeace have already suggested they will take legal action.
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UPDATE 3
It looks like energy is the fastest changing area in our book! We covered biofuels in this chapter, and the UK government's plans to increase biofuel production in line with EU regulations. But now a committee of MPs has questioned whether this is a good idea, feeling that biofuel production is harmful for the environment. See Call to abandon biofuels targets Meanwhile food prices worldwide have been continuing to rise, and it appears that the competition between biofuel and food production is at least partly to blame. See Food versus fuel in corn heartland (BBC 5 June 2008)
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UPDATE 4
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UPDATE 5
Adam Twine of Westmill Wind Farm Co-op kindly provided us an insight into the long process he and his colleagues had to go through to get their project underway in Chapter 8. Martin Hodson was pleased to attend the long awaited opening of Westmill Wind Farm on Saturday 3rd May 2008. Five 1.3mw wind turbines have now been erected at Watchfield Farm in the Vale of the White Horse near Shrivenham. The 31 metre blades are producing electricity for 2500 average homes. The carbon used for their construction will be paid back within the year. The windfarm is also unusual as it is a Co-op where many of the members are local people and are small investors. It was difficult to estimate how many people were there, but it must have been over 600. Jonathon Porritt, Chair of the Sustainable Development Commission, officially opened the ceremony. Many, many congratulations to Adam, and all those at Westmill.________________________________________________________________________
Web Links to Resources used in this Chapter
Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution: www.rabi.org.uk/index.html
London congestion charge: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_congestion_charge#Traffic_levels
Shrinking the Footprint: www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org