‘Two degrees... one chance's breakfast highlights Micah's climate change challenge
‘Two degrees… one chance’ - that is the challenge to be put before church leaders and politicians at a special breakfast in Belfast on Tuesday 13 November.
It is a Micah Challenge event to highlight the impact of climate change on the world’s poorest communities. Micah Challenge is a global movement of Christians, churches and Christian organisations united to call on world governments to work towards meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals are eight targets set in 2000 to halve global poverty by 2015. MDG seven relates to environmental sustainability.
‘Two degrees… one chance’ is based on calls for the average global temperature rise to be kept as far below two degrees Celsius as possible. It will challenge local churches and members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to take positive steps to address climate change.
Tim Magowan, National Manager of Tearfund Ireland said: “For many, locally climate chaos means finding the nearest recycling point or extra costs for holiday flights. But Andrew, a 22 year old farmer in Malawi who lost his first crop last year to drought, is impacted by the reality of climate change every day.”
He added Andrew has a wife and young baby to support and also looks after five other family members. His second harvest was wiped out due to floods that dumped 12,000 tonnes of sand on his land. Now he must dig out 90cm of sand in order to get to the soil and it takes half an hour to plant a crop when it used to take 30 seconds.
Tim said: “During Tearfund’s Global Poverty Prayer Week it is appropriate that we take time to think about people like Andrew and the practical steps we can take here in Northern Ireland to help him.”
Stephen Cave, National Director of the Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland added: “’Two degrees… one chance’ may be a stark message, but it is vital that our local politicians and church leaders engage seriously with this issue, particularly in the run up to the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Bali this December. We are delighted that Sir John Houghton, a former member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will be joining us as our keynote speaker on Tuesday morning.
“We are also pleased to have local input from Green Party MLA Brian Wilson and Joe Furphy from Eco-congregation. ‘Two degrees… one chance’ is a challenge we can’t afford to take lightly.”
The event has been organised by Micah Challenge partners, Tearfund Ireland and Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland. It will be hosted by Presbyterian Moderator The Rt Rev John Finlay and Bishop of Down and Dromore, The Rt Rev Harold Miller.
‘Two degrees… one chance’ will take place on Tuesday 13 November at the Mount Conference Centre, Woodstock Link , Belfast at 7.30am.
For tickets email nireland@eauk.org or call 028 9029 2266.
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Media enquiries:
Karen Jardine on 028 9029 2266
Notes to Editors:
- Micah Challenge was founded in 2004 and is a worldwide movement of Christians, churches, church organisations and key individuals across more than 40 countries.
- Micah Challenge is named after the Old Testament prophet Micah. The challenge is based on Chapter 6, verse 8: ‘'What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God....'
- Core members working within Micah Challenge UK include: African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA), Alpha International / Holy Trinity Brompton, BMS World Mission, Christian Aid, Christian Medical Fellowship, Christian Today, Evangelical Alliance, Faithworks, Global Connections, New Frontiers International, Oasis, Shaftesbury Society, SPEAK, Tearfund, World Vision UK.
