10 of those

Environment

Review submitted,Review of The Environment Dave Gobbett This is a short book seeking to deal, from a Biblical perspective, the challenge that the ‘environment’ and ‘environmentalism’ presents. It is indeed a subject with many holes from which numerous rabbits are emerging! It initially deals with very brief overview of the current narrative pertaining to ‘climate change’. In so doing it gives some ‘quick–fire facts’ as it breezes through what are regarded as the environmental consequences of ‘global warming’ (as the causative factor) and suggests the response to this publicly, can either be ‘panic or passivity’. We are counselled to ‘prudently’ lodge somewhere in the middle as Christians. Might there be another possibility based on another interpretation of data? The book deals well with the Biblical worldview if you regard the Scripture as authoritative when it speaks to the Creation and History. It doesn’t however seek to ask why God has allowed to form, in The Earth’s sediments, vase quantities of minerals, fossil fuels particularly, presumably at the time of The Flood. Are these a sign of a provident God, even in judgment, to enable mankind to survive in a broken and fallen world as he Re–Set the planet? Or are they indeed a curse which threatens our well–being and requires mankind to engage in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as proposed by the World Economic Forum I find myself conflicted at Harvest Festival’s to rejoice in the fruitfulness of The Earth but would be regarded as a ‘carbon footprint philistine’ if I brought a can of petrol in to church! The assumption is made in the first chapter that the world is warming faster than it ever has done and thus causing ‘climate change’ with consequent the angst for Greta. The references and evidence for this is given in the book from various secondary sources, such as the BBC. Never a good source for impartial journalism! Global warming has taken place since the mid 19thC, 0.13’ C per decade, and it started rising before the rise of Co2 , which was then 270ppm. It is also necessary to note that none of the models predicting apocalypse by 2050, agree with the current data, which should give us food for thought if we, as Christians, are looking for truth in all things. There are many scientists who agree that the world has warmed by 1.1’C since 1880 but would question whether it is all man–made and suggest it may well be due to a decline in the earth’s magnetic field, more irradiance from the Sun, as it goes through various cycles, and cosmic radiation. The problem is that, as in many areas today, naysayers are cancelled. It takes a deal of effort to find alternative opinion to the main–stream media. So I am not sure that this book deals entirely Biblically with the current paradigm of ‘climate change’ and how we should deal with the resulting rabbit hole called ‘climate emergency’ and the other multitude of environmental concerns. Stopping oil and going electric will be a very muddy and unpleasant rabbit hole! Rev Stephen Bazlinton St Helens High Street, Stebbing Gt Dunmow Essex CM63SE 01371 856495

Stephen Bazlinton