Environmental Stewardship

Climate change is one of the world’s most pressing challenges. Human emissions of greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide, methane, and others – have increased global temperatures by around 1℃ since pre-industrial times. A changing climate has a range of potential ecological, physical and health impacts, including extreme weather events (such as floods, droughts, storms, and heatwaves); sea-level rise; altered crop growth; and disrupted water systems.

Global Statistics

  • Global average temperatures have increased by more than 1℃ since preindustrial.
  • CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are now well over 400ppm – their highest levels in over 800,000 years.
  • Globally we emit over 36 billion tonnes of CO2 per year – this continues to increase.
  • There are large differences – more than 100-fold – in per capita CO2 emissions between countries.
  • Today, China is the world’s largest CO2 emitter – accounting for more than one-quarter of emissions. This is followed by the USA (15%); EU-28 (10%); India (7%); and Russia (5%).
  • The USA has contributed most to global CO2 emissions to date, accounting for 25% of cumulative emissions. This is followed by the EU-28 (22%); China (13%); Russia (6%) and Japan (4%).
  • A large amount of CO2 is embedded in traded goods – this means some countries’ emissions increase while others decrease when we look at

RESOURCES

Creation Care in the African Context

Anglican Communion Environmental Network

soc 2020 final jubilee for the earth

Oceans of Plastic

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