Archive for April, 2008

JS Debate: The role of Christian ethics in African Development

Tuesday 8th April, 1:05pm - 1:55pm

St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside EC2V 6AU

‘Are you in a world of your own? The role of Christian ethics in African Development.’ In association with Christian Aid.

Dr Genevieve James, a lecturer at the University of South Africa specialising in urban mission and theology, and Dr Simanga R Kumalo, a lecturer in Practical Theology and Christian Education at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, led this stimulating discussion organised by Christian Aid. Rob Cunningham, Christian Aid’s South Africa country director, was in the chair.

Dr James began by noting that many politicians in developing countries appeared to be in a luxurious world of their own, ignoring the plight of the people they had been elected to serve. She also suggested that many development agencies were in a world of their own, detached from the realities of the people they sought to aid. She categorised them as ’sad samaritans’ (who emphasised the tragedy and desperation of Africans whilst ignoring their verve); ‘glad samaritans’ (who offered quick-fix, naive solutions); and ‘mad samaritans’ (who raved about corruption and refused to work with Africa to develop Africa). Development founded upon Christian ethics, in contrast, offered a holistic model that emphasised human and spiritual development as well as economic development. Christian ethics also taught that each of us has personal responsibility to look beyond our own worlds and involve ourselves in the worlds of others. Our consumerist society favoured individualism whereas Christian ethics suggests that we are united and that the wellbeing of one is bound up with that of another. That provides a vital counter to the ‘diffusion of responsibility’ which risks affecting us, where everyone thinks someone will do something and in the end noone does anything.

Dr Kumalo emphasised the importance of community and suggested that a strong sense of community was something that Africa might export to the West. Africans also had a healthier relation with religion, being less uniformly suspicious than many in the West of its role in development. The association of Christianity with colonial missions in the past meant that some Western Christians were uneasy about their role in development. The key was to see development as, like Christianity, liberating and transformative rather than an imposition. It was not a case of the West ‘developing’ Africa and being the definer of ‘development;’ rather, development was a 2-way process where each party needed to become interdependent, engaging with and learning from each other. Christian ethics strongly supported such a dynamic of mutual giving and receiving.

Questions from the audience included how a Christian concept of holistic development could be communicated to secular governments and other agencies, whether some ‘mega-churches’ were colluding with consumer values rather than engaging in development work, how politicians’ side-lining of religion in their politics and personal morality might be challenged, and what was the point for Christians, ultimately, of development. Conversations continued over Fairtrade refreshments.

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Posted on 17.04.08 | no comments | Filed Under: News Archives

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JS Debate: Can Financial Services Undo Climate Chaos?

Tuesday 1st April 2008, 1:05pm - 1:55pm

St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside EC2V 6AU

‘Fool’s Gold: Can Financial Services Undo Climate Chaos?’

We were privileged to welcome three experts to St Mary-le-Bow for this debate; Chris Goodall, author of How to Live a Low-Carbon Life, Alexis Krajeski, Associate Director of F&C Management Ltd and Claire Foster, environmental adviser. Chris and Alexis engaged in an interesting dialogue on the role of the financial sector in fighting climate change; was the sector part of the problem or part of the solution? Both speakers challenged individuals, corporations and the government to do more.

Chris Goodall began by noting the need to reduce carbon emission from around 12.5 tonnes per person per year to 1 or 1.5 tonnes per person per year. The onus is on the world’s richest consumers; it is estimated that even in the UK the top 20% income bracket use 5 times more carbon than the poorest 20%. Globally, the impact of climate change will hit the world’s poor hardest even though they consume so little themselves. Chris argued that price mechanisms such as a carbon tax are insufficient to curb consumption and incentivise innovations in low-carbon technologies. The government needed to intervene; the market’s focus was on short-term profits and so it was failing to provide solutions to climate change. For example, there was sufficient tidal power generated in 24 hours in one bay off the coast of Scotland to power the whole of London, but government and private investors seemed not to be interested in financing the infrastructure. Denmark, in contrast, produced 25% of its energy from wind power due to strong State funding - and at a cheaper cost than the UK’s current energy sources. Chris concluded that unless the UK’s antipathy to State intervention, its entrepreneurs’ disinterest in developing low-carbon technologies and individuals’ lack of moral responsibility changed fast, the future looked bleak.

Alexis Krajeski agreed that climate change was a serious issue and its damaging effect on the lives of the world’s poorest people was paramount. Those involved in the financial industry should also be concerned that climate chaos could cause economic slow-down. However, Alexis argued that financial services could and should be part of the solution to climate change. First, without financial services there would be no capital to invest in developing sustainable low-carbon technologies. Second, the financial sector would need to fund methods of adapting to climate change. The past could not be undone and the effects of carbon emissions to date would be felt into the future. Capital and insurance products would be vital for preventing and limiting the impact of droughts, flooding and other climate-related disasters. Third, the financial services provided the analytical tools to measure environmental impacts of different investments, and the weight to encourage more environmentally-friendly investments. Like Chris, Alexis called on the government to provide a strong policy and regulatory framework to ensure that financial services worked harder to invest in reducing climate chaos.

Questions from the audience included the potential role for a command economy, the need for internationally-binding regulations and the impact of China on the global climate, the likelihood of individuals reducing their consumption and whether biofuels would lead to decreased food supplies for the world’s poorest people. Conversations continued informally over Fairtrade refreshments.

Posted on 03.04.08 | no comments | Filed Under: News Archives

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