An audience of 350 filled the nave of Bath Abbey on 29th April for the debate on Climate Change, organised by Churches Together in Bath. The Rector of Bath Abbey, Preb. Edward Mason, welcomed everybody and introduced the chairman, Rev Roger Nunn. He explained that the debate had been set up to raise awareness, and to answer some of the questions that are on people’s minds. He introduced Prof Anil Markandya, economist from the University of Bath and a major contributor to U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He confirmed that the great majority of the world’s scientists were now convinced that climate change was due to human activity, and that we face a crisis that calls for urgent responses. We do not know how great the increase in temperature will be, but modest predictions suggest 2°C by the year 2050.

Martin Palmer spoke of the influence of religion on the issue. He is working through the Alliance of Religions and Conservation to help each faith to make its own distinctive contribution. He outlined Christian ways of relating to the environment including ‘stewardship’, ‘blessing’ and ‘grace’. He challenged Churches Together in Bath to get involved in an “eco-twinning” scheme that was being developed with churches and communities in Africa.

Andrew Pendleton, adviser on Climate Change for Christian Aid, confirmed that, if we are already seeing the consequences of climate change in Britain, it is far more serious for people in many poorer parts of the world. Christian Aid has always campaigned for world development, but now it was crucial to find ways of development that are consistent with “green” issues.

Sarah Pugh spoke of the “Transition” movement that is now influential in many towns, developing radical responses to the twin challenge of climate change and ‘peak oil’, since world oil reserves are expected to run out sometime between 2010 and 2020.

Several contributions from the audience reflected widespread concern on the issue, and included a student from Bath University who claimed that many scientists did not agree that climate change was primarily caused by human activity. The retiring offering at the end of the debate was very generous, allowing all the expenses to be covered, and donations to be sent to the charities represented on the panel.