Join with Tearfund in our exciting new scheme to combat climate change – My Global Impact.
Brazil.
Poor communities didn’t cause climate change – their carbon footprints are tiny - but they are experiencing its first and worst impacts. We have developed and become wealthy by burning carbon (coal, oil and gas) which in turn causes climate change. From transport to industry to heating and lighting our homes – we owe a lot to our reliance on climate-changing carbon.
The Bible tells us that love does no harm to its neighbour – but the way we live does harm our neighbours. The average individual in the UK has a carbon footprint of 9.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide – compare this to the average carbon footprint in Malawi which is less than 0.1 tonnes. Yet despite not contributing to climate change - Malawi is being hit hard now by floods and droughts.
Our Christian response should be to share what we have – we can’t share the carbon we’ve already used - but we can share the wealth we have generated from carbon to help protect poor people from the worst impacts of climate change and to help them develop using clean energy.
My Global Impact asks you to respond in three simple ways:
- Calculate your annual carbon dioxide emissions using our carbon calculator – you can do this individually or for your whole family or household.
- Donate for anything over your fair share of the global carbon cake – that’s 4.3 tonnes*. Give to help protect poor communities from the devastating effects of climate change and gain access to clean energy to develop.
- Commit to reducing your emissions by as much as you possibly can – we’re asking people to try to cut their emissions by at least five per cent a year. We’ve given you lots of helpful hints about how you can do this.
Transform your carbon footprint into one that walks alongside – not over – poor people hardest hit by our changing climate.