Renewing our relationship with the Earth: the challenge before us

Catholic New Times, June 1, 2003

Humanity stands at a defining point in its history. Over the last 400 years, we have changed the face of the Earth at an unprecedented scale and speed. There is now no corner of this beautiful planet that remains unaffected by our actions. Human actions are now threatening the health of the planet, as well as the health of our species. The facts speak for themselves:

Climate Change: Global average temperatures rose by about 0.6 C over the 20th century. This rate and duration of warming has been greater than in any of the previous nine centuries and is probably a result of increasing emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide. Indeed, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has risen by 31 per cent since 1750. These and other data led the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to conclude that: "There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is a attribute to human activities."

Biodiversity: By 1996, 25 per cent of the world's approximately 4,630 mammalian species, 11 per cent of the 9.675 bird species, 20 per cent of reptile species, 25 per cent amphibian species and 34 per cent of fish species were at significant risk of total extinction. Furthermore, by the early 1990s, all of the world's oceanic fisheries were being fished at or beyond their capacity, and 13 of the world's 15 leading oceanic, fisheries were in decline.

Toxic Chemicals: By 1998, global sales of all chemicals totalled nearly $1.5 trillion US, making the chemical sector about twice the size of the global market for telecommunications equipment and services. Exposure to toxic chemicals has been implicated in numerous health effects, including birth defects and cancer. Children's exposures are often greater than those of adults. At a global level, pesticides are responsible for about three million acute exposures a year.

Freshwater: If present consumption patterns continue, two out of every three people on Earth will experience a water shortage by 2025. There are already widespread water shortages in parts of China, India, Pakistan, the western U.S., North Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula.

Land: Nearly 40 per cent of the world's agricultural land is seriously degraded, raising concerns about its long-term capacity for food production. This lost land could feed more than 1.5 billion people. Major problems include salinization, caused by agricultural practices and urbanization.

In Canada, we are blessed with a relatively healthy environment. Within our borders we have about 20 per cent of the world's supply of freshwater, an abundance of land to grow food and live on, and access to many resources to enrich the quality of our lives. But even here, the damage to the natural environment is affecting human health.

Our response as Christians:

In the face of these depressing statistics, it is easy to be overwhelmed and say, "The problems are too great. There is nothing I can do." But nothing could be further from the truth. As Christians, not only do we have a responsibility to act, but we are called to love and celebrate God's Creation, remembering that, "The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." (Ps 24:1)

Throughout history, Christians have been acting out of their deep concern for the Earth. In the Bible, God tells Adam that he is to dress and keep the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15), and later we are told, "the whole Earth is full of his glory." (Isaiah 6:3). Inspired by these and other words, Christians have seen the Earth as sacred--as a manifestation of God's love and power. Celtic Christianity emphasized God's presence in creation and later in the Middle Ages, Christian mystics, such as Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila and Hildegard von Bingen, were passionate witnesses to the beauty of God's creation. More recently, Christian churches in many countries have been active in environmental concerns, and the World Council of Churches has been extremely active in climate change. In fact, every day more and more Christians are asking: "What can we do to protect the natural environment as individuals and as members of the church?"

First, remember and believe that you can make a difference. Our individual actions and our collective actions at church are part of a worldwide effort to ensure long-term health and sustainability of life on Earth. As individuals, we may not be able to change the world single-handedly, but we can change ourselves. Indeed, changing ourselves is perhaps the only thing that we can do.

Secondly, remember and believe that every journey begins with a single step. Just committing yourself and your Church to raking action for the Earth is a great beginning. Start with making a commitment to do a few things. As you gain confidence, try a few more. Don't try to do everything all at once. Also, some of the suggestions may not be appropriate for you or your church. Pick the ones that make the most sense to you.

You could form an environmental group or committee. Or you may want to try out a few ideas at home first. The most important thing is to make a commitment and get started. You may think of things that you can do for the Earth.