The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 10th December 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the droughts in Lesotho; and what steps will they take to ensure that those living there have enough water to maintain hydroelectric power.
Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about droughts in Lesotho”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 3rd December 2021:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, (1) to investigate the purchase of agricultural farmland by multinational companies for the purpose of planting trees to offset carbon emissions, and (2) to prevent agricultural farm land being purchased for such purposes.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about purchasing of agricultural land for tree-planting”The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 25th November 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked Her Majesty’s Government:
On 18th November 2021, the Bishop of Exeter made his maiden speech in the House of Lords during a debate on interventions to tackle climate change following the COP 26 Summit, speaking on experiences from his diocese and the wider church community:
The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, arriving as Bishop of Exeter eight years ago, I have become a Devonian by adoption and grace. Although proud of my Essex roots, I now know that the only way is Devon.
As I listen to Devonshire farmers grappling with environmental land management schemes or residents in south Devon who are increasingly anxious about coastal erosion, or engage with scientists at the Met Office in Exeter, I am conscious of the urgency and immensity of the task confronting us.
In scripture, we learn that Joseph—of technicolour dreamcoat fame—interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams of times of plenty and times of famine and advised Pharaoh to prudence in managing the nation’s resources, and we know that Noah heard God’s voice warning him of a devastating flood. Today’s prophets are the scientists and environmentalists who present us with stark choices that demand action.
Continue reading “Bishop of Exeter makes his maiden speech in debate on climate change interventions”On 18th November 2021, the Bishop of Ely spoke in a debate following the conclusion of the COP26 conference on climate change, urging that the UK match their commitments with action on protecting the environment for future generations:
The Lord Bishop of Ely: My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, on her opening speech. To pick up on her football analogy, we will all be familiar with the football commentary, “They think it’s all over”. It was not over until the surprise and hoped for goal came. We are looking for that goal with passion, which is why we are encouraged by the passion and commitment that came through so strongly from the Minister and from Mr Sharma throughout COP 26. It has built my confidence that the momentum will not be lost, and our remaining presidency will be no less crucial for the future of this planet than the conference itself. I applaud the Minister for his work on deforestation, and I commend further work on sufficient soil improvement, both in this country and overseas, which will provide the best carbon capture.
Continue reading “Bishop of Ely speaks in debate on COP26 Conference, urging commitment to tackling climate change”The Bishop of London asked a question on maintenance of electric car charging points and cooperation between transport suppliers on 4th November 2021, during a debate on the abolition of temporary cycling lanes in London:
The Lord Bishop of London: The Prime Minister recently announced his desire to invest £1 billion to boost electric car usage. Given the push for cleaner and greener travel, will Her Majesty’s Government first address the number of faulty charging points for electric cars in London and, secondly, promote co-operation among suppliers, so that potential users are not dissuaded by the current requirement to download multiple apps from multiple companies?
Continue reading “Bishop of London asks about eco-friendly transport methods”On 25th October 2021, the Bishop of Bristol asked a question on consideration of nature and the environment in policy-making, during a debate on risks of climate change:
The Lord Bishop of Bristol: My Lords, following the recent Dasgupta review, then Government committed to incorporating nature into the national accounts and improving guidance for embedding environmental concerns into policy-making processes. Can the Government provide an update on the timescale for this work?
Continue reading “Bishop of Bristol asks about timescale for improving consideration of environmental concerns in policy-making”The Bishop of Durham asked two questions on delays in moving towards net-zero on 2oth October 2021, during a debate on the government’s net-zero and buildings strategy:
The Lord Bishop of Durham: The Minister and I live in the same region, where masses of new building is going up. I have had only a quick read of the document —we have not had time for anything other than that—and there is a lot about retrofitting in it. Given that we have all the technology and knowledge now, can the Minister explain why new builds are not being built to a net-zero target from this year or perhaps next? Everything is in place to be able to do this. We are delaying too long.
Continue reading “Bishop of Durham asks about movement towards net-zero”The Bishop of Oxford asked a question on whether protection for low-income households would be included in the government roadmap to net-zero on 11th October 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, in order to avoid a disruptive transformation from our current carbon-intensive society, we need the Government to include fiscal measures to protect the poorest and most vulnerable households. Can the Minister confirm that the full Government road map to net zero will include a carbon fee and dividend element to cushion the blow for low-income households, as already successfully trialled in several Canadian provinces, Alaska and elsewhere?
Continue reading “Bishop of Oxford advocates for protection for low income households during transistion to net-zero”The Bishop of Blackburn spoke in a debate on behaviour change and the transition to net-zero carbon emissions on 16th September 2021, urging that the government consider the issues faced by the poorest in society so that they are not left behind:
The Lord Bishop of Blackburn: My Lords, I too am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Blackstone, for the opportunity of this debate. I have just finished reading a book about wilding in the UK, and it is a classic story of how difficult it is to change a culture, attitudes and expectations from deeply embedded practices and convictions, in this case about how we manage our land—which was appropriate, with the Environment Bill this week. The same difficulty applies in this debate, which is less about government policy and more about how we, as citizens, choose to live.
My main point, in discussing the role behaviour change can play in helping us towards net-zero carbon emissions, is this: it is essential that our expectations are aspirational, but also realistic. They need to apply to all people. It is my fear that the poorest 10% will be left not just behind, but feeling that they are part of the problem, when they would rather be part of the solution.
Continue reading “Bishop of Blackburn stresses importance of accessibility when encouraging behaviour change on the path to net-zero”
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