Is Environmentalism a Religion?

Notwithstanding recent scandals regarding the suppression of climate change data, public policy and popular worldviews on climate change and man’s contribution to it remain largely unchanged. This workshop critically reviews the scientific evidence for global warming and the predictions for future climate change taking into account scientific methodology and the limitations of computer modelling. An analysis of the data suggests that man’s contribution to climate change is overstated and that public policy is biased. We argue that the popular view that “the science is settled” is supported by a “post normal science” approach to policy that relies more on opinion than fact, giving rise to an orthodoxy of almost religious dimensions throughout much of the western world. The workshop concludes by arguing that a carefully thought through theology of creation and stewardship is necessary for Christians to formulate a correct and proportionate response to environmental issues such as climate change.