The world has changed a lot since we first launched the Climate Emergency Toolkit over a year ago. We’ve learned a lot together about praying and acting for climate justice, we’ve seen disappointing outcomes from COP26 as world leaders fail to act with the urgency required, and we’ve witnessed climate impacts becoming more severe around the world while global emissions continue to rise. If there was ever a time to declare an emergency, it’d be today!
Over the past twelve months, you’ve also taught us a lot about how we can best support you and your church as you take action on the climate emergency. From feedback in emails and conversations to a big survey of your experience, we’ve received so many helpful insights and ideas to make the Toolkit even better. Today, as we launch the new version I hope you’ll be encouraged that we’ve incorporated as many of your ideas as we can!
Has anything stayed the same?
The three core steps haven’t changed: Prepare, Declare, and Impact. It’s clear this is an important route for churches and helpful to bring everyone with you. So even if you’ve started using the Toolkit in your church or organisation, you can download this new version and dive back into the step you are on. Or, if you’re yet to take the first steps, this is a great opportunity to kickstart your plans for journeying deeper into climate action.
So what’s changed?
One of the top requests we heard from you was for help with the planning step after you declare. So we’ve spent lots of time rethinking how that section works and have developed some new templates and guidance to make sure you can easily put together a plan that’s both relevant for your church or organisation’s context, and helps move you toward a big vision of impact.
Other areas we’ve updated:
Brand new resources added, including for children
Links to top quality research to help conversations with your church leadership
A sample sermon you can use an adapt
Eye-catching posters to say you’ve declared an emergency
Social media images your church or organisation can use when you declare
More tools around switching your finances, from banks to pensions
Interview videos from both climate scientists and people on the frontlines of the climate emergency
A new print-friendly version of the whole Toolkit for those who prefer offline
As well as all of that, we’ve spruced up the Climate Emergency Toolkit website, including a new blog (where you’re reading this!). In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be posting stories of people who’ve been using the Toolkit and new relevant tools as they are launched. We’ve also updated our map of declarations, where you’ll see more than 85 churches and organisations that have already declared or recognised the climate emergency.
Going forward together
It’s been brilliant to continue working on the Toolkit with a broad coalition of organisations, activists and church leaders. We’re excited to welcome two new supporting organisations, ECCR and the Evangelical Alliance, who have both endorsed the resource and are sharing it as a key way for churches to respond to the climate emergency.
Finally, thank you
It’s a privilege to stand alongside and resource so many of you who are supporting churches respond to the climate emergency in ways that could help transform our society.
As we launch this new and updated Climate Emergency Toolkit, we want to say a massive thank you for all your hard work. We are praying for you and if we can help or support in any way, just drop us an email at info@climateemergencytoolkit.com