'Economics of Hope' Green Christian Conference

Around 200 people attended the Joy in Enough 'Economics of Hope' ecumenical conference in Bristol on 7 November 2015 at the brand new conference centre at St Michael's, Bristol. It was organised by Green Christian, with a big input from A Rocha - the two leading Christian "Care for the Earth" organisations in the UK.

Conference goers felt that replacing light bulbs and other personal energy saving things are important - but changing our economics and encouraging global things have a far bigger effect, "so we need to grapple with that". The conference was described as opening a 'new chapter' in Christian economic witness.

Molly Scott Cato, formerly a professor of economics at Roehampton University and now MEP for South West England and speaker on finance for the Green Party, spoke about how churches might enable the shift to prosperity without growth in consumption and debt. She warned that national pledges tabled so far for the forthcoming Paris climate summit would still lead to warming of 2.7 degree Celsius. In the wake of the call by faith leaders on 19 October for zero emissions by mid-century, she argued that a growth-based economy cannot achieve the cuts in carbon emissions required. "Our future economy cannot have the same level of energy intensity" she said. Noting the growing disparity between rich and poor, she took the view that, "we need to stop using growth as a substitute for equality of income".

Paul Bodenham, the Catholic chair of Green Christian, said: "The churches have a centuries'-long tradition of standing up for economic justice, and have much to be proud of, but the environmental crisis changes everything, from social teaching to campaigning. At 'The Economics of Hope' we saw that change taking shape." He added that: "People instinctively understand that economic growth can't go on forever. But governments seem to be oblivious, and even Christian non-governmental organisations have yet to take its implications on board. There are serious economists offering a positive, sustainable model of prosperity beyond growth. We've got to start talking about the elephant in the room, and embolden our politicians to do so. The 200 people who gathered today are the founders of a spirited movement seeking economic change, and we plan to publish a declaration next year to reach out to Britain's churches and society at large."

For more information see: www.greenchristian.org.uk

Statement from religious leaders regarding the Paris Climate Conference: www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/diakonia/climate-change/statement-from-religious-leaders-for-the-upcoming-cop21