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Climate Change

In recent months the Church of England have published a series of briefing papers on the subject of climate change.

Towards a Post Kyoto Climate Treaty for Climate Justice (Nov 2007) - this paper looks at the forthcoming negotiations of a post-2012 climate change regime at the CP-13 in Bali (December 2007). The paper pays particular attention to what a just and equitable settlement might look like. It examines the themes of responsibility, vulnerability and mitigation, but within a Christian understanding of justice that transforms.

Through the Glass Darkly - Europe and the Politics of Climate Change (Oct 2007) - this paper examines the EU's response to climate change, both from the perspective of mitigation and adaptation. The briefing paper focuses on the Emissions Trading scheme, the flagship in the EU's Climate Change Programme, as well as efforts to mainstream climate change into the EU's overseas development policy.

Climate Change - Not Just a Green Issue (Oct 2007) - this paper warns that climate change is not just a green issue but also a security concern. The paper explores climate change as a security issue, examining how climate change affects a range of policy issues (food, health, water, energy and infrastructure), all of which have an impact on migration and conflict.

In June 2007, the Church of England submitted its response to the DEFRA Consultation on the draft Climate Change Bill. It gave a cautious welcome to Government proposals on tackling global warming but warned that the UK must face the challenge of climate change with passion and creativity, not gloomy martyrdom. A copy of the submission can be read here.

In recent years, the Church has sought to respond to the scandal of poverty by pressing for further international action on debt, trade and aid. This social justice agenda has seen the Church playing an active role in the Jubilee 2000 Campaign, the Trade Justice Movement and Make Poverty History. Climate change threatens to undermine many of the development achievements of the past decade.