Category: Counting On …

Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on

Counting on 2026 …. Day 69

30th June

Allwood proposes as a starting point we find a way of measuring our progress – otherwise how ill we know if we are reducing our consumption by 25% or 50% or 75%? – and suggests keeping a record of, say, how many litres of petrol, kg of beef, or cubic meters of gas, we consume. Then the task of restraint. “Perhaps we can take a train to avoid buying a tank of petrol, upgrade our windows or turn the thermostat down … take local [European] holidays to reduce our use of aeroplanes.”

Allwood also reminds us to look out for unconscious habits. “If the works canteen [local cafe/ pub] always has a red-meat dish, we might eat it without noticing. But if it is on offer only once a week, we would learn to value it differently and perhaps we would eat red meat only if we have looked forward to it ….” (Both page 131)

Such restraint should be seen from the perspective that they are actions that show care for our planet and for our neighbours.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 68

29th June

The key message of Allwood and Davison’s book (1) is the need for us all as consumers to show restraint. If we are to live in a world where temperatures increases stay below 2C we absolutely have to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. To do this we have to consume less  of everything that produces these emissions and less of most things that use electricity as we will not be able to install sufficient capacity in electrical generation and distribution if we are to power everything currently powered by fossil fuels. 

Allwood presents us with a timeframe of action. We need to reduce our emissions by a quarter by 2028, by a half by 2035, by three quarters by 2042, and by 2050 there will need to be in place legislation that prohibits creating greenhouse gas emissions. (P129). To achieve those targets, we (ie as individuals, households and as nations) will need to begin planning now. 

It is a challenging message that needs us to radically alter our daily lifestyles. However Allwood is as clear that consuming less doesn’t mean being unhappy or having to live substandard lives. 

Over the next few days I will consider 5 key areas of change highlighted in the book.

  1. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/promise-the-earth/31E27442471A864A6582BA751ECD239F

Counting on 2026 …. Day 67

26th June

Love

“Ultimately, love is the reason we do one thing and not another. What we love determines how we act.” (P139) Those this does beg the question, what do we love? The answer might be money, power or self.

As an alternative, Davison suggest we might “see love as the criterion by which are actions are judged.” (P140)  Do our actions express a God-like love?

Davison then explores an often overlooked issue – “What difference does my contribution make?”

One answer is that even that small difference is worth doing if it is the right or just thing – think of the parable of the widow’s mite. (P141)

Another is that we are in this together. (P142) My small contribution is part of our communal action and therefore part of a bigger whole. It is as communities that we best give and  receive love, and as communities that we will best make the changes we need to make to safeguard our common future. 

And again Davison reminds us of the core focus of the book (1), restraint. Love will always help us exercise restraint, and as regards our future, love will help us exercise restraint in the net zero lifestyles that we must embrace.  

  1. Promise the Earth: a safe climate in good faith by Julian Allwood and Andrew Davison.            https://www.cambridge.org/gb/universitypress/subjects/religion/religious-ethics/promise-earth-safe-climate-good-faith

Counting on 2026 …. Day 66

25th June

Hope

‘Among the virtues, the one that looks the most to the future is hope. Just as importantly, hope also looks to God. Indeed, Christians will say that they can venture great things because their confidence rests in God, not themselves.’ (P121)

Davison then considers that human endeavours are most effective where they are human in scale, reflecting the fact that humans are communal creatures, and that this is where hope best thrives. ‘St Thomas of Aquinas’, writes Davison, ‘describes hope as the entirely necessary human capacity to strive for difficult but not impossible future goods.’ (P124). This hope, says Davison connects our actions and aspirations to God and the overarching story of redemption. 

As we tackle the difficult but not impossible challenge of the climate crisis, we know that we are not doing this on our own, but with God, for creating a better future in this world is God’s desire too.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 64

23rd June

Justice

“‘What will it cost to make the climate safe?’ That is a question for mangers, engineers, economists and politicians, but [t]he ultimate question is ….’how much will it cost not to make the climate safe?’” (P83) This is where justice is the prevailing virtue, for rather than what will it cost me to act, it is what will it cost my neighbour/ my children/ future generations if I don’t act?

So in pursuing a liveable future, Davison writes: “Prudence looks ahead … and navigates the path. Courage spurs us on to overcome obstacles. Temperance checks us from being lured off course …  [And] justice is our goal”. (P83)

What then is justice? As a base, Davison suggests it is giving a person what they are due or conversely that they should not suffer harm or wrong doing without recompense. (P85). This can apply as much to a community as to an individual. Virtues are meant to make us better people so justice is also about us: justice should make is people who seek fairness for others. And that is what God made us for: “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

There is no escaping the fact that as Christians we are compelled to act on climate change so that if nothing else, we can ensure justice for all our neighbours.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 63

22nd June

Temperance

If courage is the strength or virtue we need to overcome our hesitancy of acting when we would rather not, then temperance is the strength or virtue we need to overcome the temptation of doing what we know we shouldn’t do even when it seems so attractive. “If courage deals with aversion, then temperance deals with allure “ (p64)

Temperance is the virtue that helps us weigh up what is good and why is not good about the options on offer. It helps us distinguish between want and need. It helps us find the balance between too much and too little. Temperance helps to free us from false truths – more, bigger, faster, easier are not always better!

Temperance helps us exercise restraint: 

Davison reflects on the widespread practice of fasting within the Christian faith – such a during Lent. Here the practice of fasting where going without helps us to let go of distractions, enable us to focus on spiritual preparation. But Davison the reminds us that fasting for Lent may only be for 40 day where as the restraint we need to show to address climate polycrises, has to be a lifetime’s undertaking. Yet, whereas we may choose fasting in Lent that is deliberately discomforting (eg giving up chocolate), the restraint we must adopt as a complete life style change, can be such that it is pleasurable – eg having more free time for reading, eating a more tasteful diet etc. 

Davison  then draws out another analogy for us: athletes because of their love of the sport, will exercise temperance and discipline in their daily lives to ensure that they can be best athlete that they can be. Our love of God, our love of creation, will inspire such dedication in our daily lives.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 62

19th June

Prudence “is the virtue of being undeceived, of being in touch with reality.” (P 44)

Both authors agree that the urgency of the climate crisis is such that we can not wait for technological solutions to be innovated and/or scaled up. We need to act now with the knowledge and resources we already have – “we need to be prudent.” (P 44)

Davison explores a deeper understanding that says “to be prudent is to know what the world is like, to know what the world should be and to work out how to go from one to the other.” (P 45) This challenges us to identify realistically where the world is not as it should be – especially bearing in mind those people and places outside our immediate bubble (where I suspect we do feel everything is OK). And having been realistic in seeing the world as it really is, identifying what we can do to change it – including changing our own lifestyles – for those will be the changes that mirror the Lord’s Prayer: your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

NB if you don’t feel you have time to read the book, or even if you do, you might like to watch a recording of the talk Julian Allwood gave to Green Christian.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 61

18th June

For the next few days I will pick up on Davison’s comments re the seven virtues.(1) 

Davison considers courage as the strength by which we overcome our fears and if need be make sacrifices for the good of others. Nevertheless this is not about being miserable or seeking out hardships. Rather it is about taking our fair share rather than leaving other to bear the bulk of the burden. “Courage” he writes,  “is a spur to action…[I]t is those of us with the most who need to make the largest change. There is good news in that: those who should change the most are those with the greatest resources to make it happen.” Page 27

Where the early Christians needed courage to stand by their faith even when others were pursuing other gods and cultural practices, maybe as modern day Christians we need courage to stand by our faith when it tells us we need to apply restraint in what we consume in the face of a system and culture that favours consumerism.

  1. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/promise-the-earth/31E27442471A864A6582BA751ECD239F

Counting on 2026 …. Day 60

17th June

The co author of  Promise the Earth: A Safe Climate in Good Faith (1), Andrew Davison, writes the alternate chapters. These draw out the connection between what Allwood writes and the seven virtues – courage, prudence, temperance, justice, faith, hope and love. This is an excellent prompt for Christians – and others – to embrace restraint as part of their spiritual journey.

  1. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/promise-the-earth/31E27442471A864A6582BA751ECD239F

Counting on 2026 …. Day 59

16th June

I’m currently reading Promise the Earth: A Safe Climate in Good Faith by Julian Allwood and Andrew Davison. (1)

The main thrust of Allwood’s argument is that, with less than 14 years until the 2050 deadline that scientists give for protecting us against the worst outcomes climate change, we don’t have time to rely  on technological interventions such as carbon capture, hydrogen power or sustainable aviation fuel. Instead we must embrace a programme of restraint. ie we need to reduce substantially what we consume where and whenever that uses fossil fuels or adds to carbon emissions. But as he repeatedly says, this does not mean a life of lack and misery for there is so much to enjoy in life – friends and family, meals, walks in the country side, gardening, cycling, the arts etc etc.

The four key areas for restraint that Allwood highlights, are our use of:

  • gas for heating air and water at home;
  • petrol or diesel in cars;
  • fossil-fuel-powered aeroplanes; and
  • consumption of beef, lamb, rice and dairy foods. (Page 194) 
  1. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/promise-the-earth/31E27442471A864A6582BA751ECD239F