Film nine: It is not too late

Discussion questions

1. The Scottish Government has adopted an interim target to reduce emissions by 75 per cent by 2030. To give you an idea of what that would involve, do you think you could cut your personal emissions, and those of your church, by three-quarters in the next ten years? How would you achieve that?
2. Have you ever spoken to any politicians about climate change? If we are to see greater policy change and help those already being impacted, then politicians need to believe that it is a priority for voters. Only in this way can we help ensure that they do create green jobs, as well as shaping a better future for our children. Could you see yourself making it more of a political priority for yourself and raising it with your elected representatives? 
3. Do you think of prayer as acting? As Christians we believe that prayer makes a difference. Have you prayed about poverty and climate? Is it a topic that is regularly prayed about at your church – or could you be the person that encourages that?
4. The oil and gas (also known as fossil fuels) sector is one of the most polluting globally yet it also employs many thousands of people in Scotland and the UK. What can the church do to promote a just transition away from fossil fuels, which doesn’t leave anyone behind?
5. As Neil MacMillan says, many areas now have high levels of deprivation due to the decline of traditional industries. What will the decline of oil and gas potentially mean for places such as Aberdeen? What role, if any, do you think the church has in caring for people whose livelihoods are currently dependent on the oil and gas industry?

Action to take

As a church you could think about exploring this further by using the Climate Emergency Toolkit. The pandemic has been hard for many and resulted in huge job losses, including those in the oil and gas industry. Pray for people who have lost their incomes and for new opportunities to come their way. Also please pray for people in extreme poverty around the world where the pandemic and climate change have made things even more difficult: we are so interconnected as a world and the need is great. You can also give to Tearfund’s work if you feel you want to help financially.

More from Katharine

If you want to hear more from Katharine on the issues raised in Study Nine, you can listen to: 'It's too late to do anything about climate change' and ‘Does messaging with fear really work?’ and Fossil fuels.