Bringing the Jo'burg summit to London

A hundred and fifty people from churches and environmental groups from all over London gathered in St Lawrence Jewry in the City on a wet Sunday afternoon in early November to hear what the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg had to say to London.

Bishop Tom chaired the proceedings, reminding the audience that the London Churches own Environmental Audit 'Caring for God's World' had been sent to more than a thousand churches. David Bellamy said that he feels the present time is more environmentally encouraging than he has ever known it.

An audience with David Bellamy

Geoffrey Lean, the environmental journalist, believes that Johannesburg was significant in bringing Economics and Environment together. He described the Summit as not having achieved much, but what it had achieved was worth having. He believes the future lies not in more expensive international gatherings, but in countries implementing the agreements and commitments they have already made. Canon Jeff Golliher, the Anglican Communion UN Observer (below) and Professor David Goode , Head of Environment for the Greater London Authority added their own insights about the size, urgency and complexity of the environmental challenge facing the world and therefore the Church.

We heard about a number of encouraging London-based government, business and voluntary sector organisations trying to turn the tide with better building methods, making recycling and the use of recycled materials more commercially viable, creating more sustainable communities, nurturing biodiversity, re-introducing birds and animals into London and caring for the urban flora.

Someone pointed out that east-orientated churches all have south-facing roofs, ideal for solar panels!

Professor Timothy Gorringe's theological overview and the service that followed in St Paul's Cathedral underlined that environmental concern is not an option for Christians. The attitude of affluent human beings to the planet that sustains us is a spiritual problem which requires a spiritual solution, a change of values, priorities and lifestyle, nothing less than a rediscovery of our proper relationship with God. A challenge to the way we choose to live as individuals, as citizens, as church members. To remind and encourage us, on leaving we were given a packet of wildflower seeds and an energy-efficient light-bulb.

Your next step?

The audit pack 'Caring for God's World' can help your Church reflect on and improve its environmental practice and alert you to other possibilities at home and at work. The London & Southwark Dioceses Environmental group (LondonSCARE) has a full programme of events to inform and encourage you. Contact the Board for Church in Society (bcs@southwark.anglican.org) for details about either or for a number of useful websites.

Canon Bruce Saunders