People & Planet

RECOGNITION BY WARGRAVE WITH KNOWL PCC THAT THE WORLD IS IN A GLOBAL CLIMATE EMERGENCY

We read in Psalm 24: "The Earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."

Aware that:

o   we have a Biblical mandate to care for life on Earth, and to seek justice among its peoples;

o   all life is interconnected and interdependent

o   the world faces a crisis of environmental degradation and climate change that affects our ability to sustain human civilization in its present form;

o   the main cause of the crisis is human activity; and

o   the crisis is linked to consumerism, global injustice, inequality, conflict, starvation, drought and disease;

We the Parochial Church Council of the Parish Churches of Wargrave With Knowl Hill want to make it clear that we recognise that we are in a Climate and Environmental Emergency, and that we commit ourselves, guided by God, to:  

o   acknowledge the value of God's creation through teaching, prayer and worship

o   do our best to live sustainably as individuals and within the corporate life of the Parish

o   reduce the carbon footprint of our buildings year on year towards the Church of England’s goal of net zero by 2030, as defined by its Call to Action of February 2020, aided by external audits of our energy use

o   use electricity and gas only from renewable sources

o   improve biodiversity on church land and assist nature conservation in our community

o   use recycled paper, and minimise our use of single-use plastic and paper

o   support the poor and their environment, individually and through charities such as Fairtrade and Tearfund

o   encourage action on the Emergency in our neighbourhoods, workplaces and other spheres of activity

o   use whatever influence we may have to bring about positive actions by local and national government, schools and businesses

o   work towards an Eco Church award (achieved in July 2021)

This Declaration was agreed by the PCC of the Parish Churches of Wargrave with Knowl Hill, Berkshire, on 24 May 2021. We achieved Eco Church silver in July 2021 and are working on improve on that. For more information, contact Mike Buckland, Parish Stewarding CoG Leader.

The Oxford Diocese's Declaration of Climate Emergency is here.