Climate is a small issue in Swedish elections

Coming Sunday the Swedish election for a new parliament will take place.
Unfortunately Climate Change is not a big issue. The discussions about climate is mostly about what to do in Sweden. Railways or taxes, windmills or nuclear. But the moral view and the global consequences of climate change is not on the table at all.
It is remarkable to see that one year ago everyone interpreted every small shift in the weather as a result of climate change and was pointing to UNFCCC meeting in Copenhagen. Today with on of the largest weather related catastrophes ever in Pakistan with millions of people affected and the heatwave and wildfires in Russia last months no one relates to this as what will be more common in the future due to climate change.
The Swedish government are just bragging about that they have the best climate policy in the world. Something that is not true.
The rich countries of the world have the obligation to start the exodus of the fossil based society, not to say that developing countries should do something first. Those who have build their prosperity on fossils should also take responsibility to at the same time change to renewable energy on a large scale and at the same time help developing countries to take a leapfrog over the fossils. But I can´t hear anything in that direction in the political debate today. I guess we need a shift of mindset. Act locally and think globally!

Pilgrimage with good outcome

The pilgrimage with European Catholic Bishops ended in Maria Zell in Austria today. In a good, serious and open way the days have been filled with sharing, discussion and a will to act and participate in a change to another way of care for creation. I just give you some points from the message that I hope will be published soon

• The need for education and action /ecomanagement. I am very glad to see the positive standpoints to actions among churches in the environmental field. It was often pointed out among the pilgrims the importance to act on every level.
• The solidarity with the poor. The perspective of the poor has always been one of the pillars of a good grounded climate change work in faith communities. I was very glad to find this perspective in the document. This statement can be a good platform for coming activities.
• The ecojustice aspect When it comes to climate change it is more than clear that the most vulnerable to climate induced catastrophes are to a large extent those who contributed less. We will need a way to develop this subject on a broad ecumenical bases and this message gives good incentives for a further dialogue.
• The inclusion of future generations The concept of sustainable development is pivotal for a good environmental work. One part of the definition of sustainable development is the intergenerational perspective. This combined with the of solidarity with the poor and a justice perspective makes this message as a good message on the importance to work on all aspects of the concept of Sustainable Development.
• Referring to the Sibiu agreement on Creation time It is also very satisfying and encouraging to see the reference to Sibiu and the endorsement of Creation Time. This has been one of the more spread parts of ECEN activities so it is very pleasing to see the affirmation of Creation Time.
• Stressing the importance of ecumenical praying and services There was an ecumenical service in the cathedral of St Pölten. Good to see the need for more ecumenism in this issue

CCEE on a Pilgrimage

CCEE, the European Catholic Bishops conference is on a pilgrimage from Eztragon in Hungary to Maria Zell in Austria. I am attending the the pilgrimage as one of two invited guests from ECEN network.
Yesterday we was on an excursion to a bio diesel factory in Komarom on the border between Hungary and Slovakia.
It is really encouraging to witness the rising interest to act and to think over the issues that relates to the on a broad level to sustainable development. The bio diesel plant was an example that we can do a lot with the technique we have and recycle what we used in a much more efficient and sustainable way.
But if you think that bio diesel is the solution that will replace oil it is not an option. The option now is to start thinking in a different way. We have to think of a future with less use and more efficient use of energy, energy coming from all kinds of renewable sources, not only one or two. This thinking projects another way of living. A much better "another way of living" and if churches should do anything it must be to give visions of how we can live a good life together on this earth. I hope that this pilgrimage will inspire the catholic bishops to come up with a multitude of visions of a new sustainable life for all of the creation

Same arguments 30 years later.

I found this strip inside my old No Nukes record from 1979. It was made as a response to the Harrisburg nuclear power plant collapse. If you click at the picture you will see a larger picture and you will recognise the arguments. Solar will not work. Today they say the same but maybe it is broadened to "- Renewables wont work!"
I´m getting tired and fed up on that the same argument is still around.
One thing is much more clear today; Fossils will not work and nuclear is no good option and brings along so much more problems.
But the big guys will try to bring on more coal,oil and nukes! But we will resist and say there is another way that is more sustainable, fair and better for the global world then this old time solution to a problem of today!

Bonn negotiations - maybe the first positive step since Copen - (or Broken-) hagen

Some small signs of hope comes from the negotiations under UNFCCC meeting in Bonn last weeks. Even though nearly anything that contains at least a willing to change from the stubborn path to look at the counter parts failures instead of a constructive will to action might in these days be a positive sign.
Yves de Boer,the Executive Secretary of UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). did at least formulated a glimpse of hope when he said,
"A big step forward is now possible at Cancun, in the form of a full package of operational measures that will allow countries to take faster, stronger action across all areas of climate change, "
But still, the rich countries of the world are trying to go point the fingers on other countries to act first and to wait before they act themselves. Why is it so hard to understand that if the rich countries, those with capacity, would start the leap from fossils to renewable´s the rest of the world?

There must be som fun also...

Assemblies must also have some fun and festivities. So the last night of the assembly some folk music from the region on the border of Chezc republic and Slovakia played some nice tunes. I think I got at least some of the text..tralalal, tralala....

ECEN Climate and food!

The ECEN Assembly are soon to be ended. The last night is a night of compiling statements. So in this hours we try to get all opinions into one sheet. Now, that is no easy job.
Statements are good but even better is what happening as a result of the words.
A good illustration of what we discussing is the weather outside. The picture shows some kids in the river in a small river outside Prague. This is not usual to have this high temperature at this time of the year and some weeks before the heavy rain "attacked" this area. It is not a proof of climate change but a hint of what we will see happening more often in the future.
But as always, the most vulnerable will be those with least capacity to cope. In short; the poor people were ever they live. And what will happen to the food production in the future? Not only in sub Saharan Africa but what will happen in central part of Europe? There will be problems even there. And what do we do to mild the effects and cut the emissions that creates the problems? It is more then urgent to walk the talk