Network of Earthkeeping Christian Communities in South Africa

NECCSA Update: October 2002

A monthly newsletter on Church and Environment in South Africa

1.    Two good reasons to become a member of NECCSA

The benefits of NECCSA membership include the monthly NECCSA Update and hard copies of the biannual newsletter. However, to be honest, you may well receive such communication without being a member. A much better reason for becoming a member is that you will contribute in this way to earthkeeping in South Africa, to the quest for environmental justice and to a sustainable society. You can do so by sharing the story of what you are doing for the environment in your context and by regularly communicating with the network on specific environmental concerns, news and events, resources, publications, etc. Unlike the consumerist ethos that emphasises what you can get, becoming a member of NECCSA is a matter of what you can contribute from a Christian perspective.

Information on the vision and aims of NECCSA and application forms are available at the NECCSA website.

2.    World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)

Several NECCSA representatives attended the WSSD. NECCSA also had a small exhibition at NASREC. This helped to provide a Christian presence at the WSSD. There are a number of reports available on the achievements and failures of the WSSD:

·         A report by Bishop Geoff Davies is posted at the NECCSA website

·         A very detailed and thorough report by Dr David Hallman (convenor of the working group of the World Council of Churches on climate change). You may contact Ernst Conradie at econradie@uwc.ac.za for an electronic copy of this report.

Here is also a comment from the KZN branch of NECCSA:

We hosted a meeting at the Diakonia Centre to report back on the World Summit on Sustainable Development.  Those who attended the Summit were given an opportunity to share their experiences.  Documents and resources collected there were also shared.  It was agreed by those at the meeting that the churches have an important role to play after the Summit, not least in the following areas: help their members to become familiar with what was agreed upon by governments in the Plan of Implementation,  and ensure that our government keeps to its commitment; and encourage their local churches to engage in their own grassroots activities that will assist in some way in the preservation of the environment, which will also contribute towards the alleviation of poverty. 

3. N2 Toll Road in Pondoland

The proposed N2 Toll Road is planned to go along the environmentally sensitive area between Lusikisiki and Port Edward.  Bishop Geoff Davies reports: "The EIA was presented in Kokstad on the 9th October.  About 900 pages, but we believe fundamentally flawed as it is restricted to a proposed corridor along the top of the watershed and therefore on the edge of the Pondoland centre of endomism.  I would ask NECCSA members to be vigilant and I would hope, oppose a road being built for commercial reasons." For more detail, see the report posted on the NECCSA Website. You are encouraged to discuss the proposal and to make submissions in this regard by 9 November at the latest.

4. The Earth Charter

The Earth Charter is a remarkable document that articulates a moral vision and a global ethos that is needed to address challenges around environmental sustainability, social and economic injustices and violent conflict. It is said to be the product of the most consultative process ever to be undertaken. People from many regions, cultures, languages and religious traditions contributed to formation of the document. It was finalised in March 2000. You may read more about the Earth Charter at the following website: www.earthcharter.org

5. A story from Ecumenical Institute for Namibia (EIN)

Here is story on earthkeeping initiatives from EIN, an associate member of NECCSA:

Ons het vanjaar 'n video vir onderwysers vervaardig deur 'n juffrou met haar graad 1-klassie af te neem waar hulle 'n godsdiensles oor die omgewing buite die klas gedoen het: prentjies geteken van alles wat hulle sien en dit dan opgeplak teen die mure in die klas, sodat die bome en voëls ens. ook "in" die klas teenwoordig was as tekens van God se goeie skepping.

6. Resources

The sermon preached by Allan Boesak at the SACC hosted service on 25
August in Alexandra is on the SACC web page (SACC.org.za/docs/WSSDserm.html). An article, based on the sermon which Fr Albert Nolan, OP preached on 1 Sept at an international Mass for Catholic participants at the WSSD, appears in the latest issue
of Challenge (No. 70 Oct 2002). The NECCSA website contains further references to useful publications and other resources.

NECCSA website address: www.neccsa.org.za. You are invited to accept ownership of this website in order to use it to share information on Christianity and earthkeeping practices. Please send any information to the email address below.

You are welcome to distribute this NECCSA Update electronically to any other interested person. You are also welcome to send news to be included in the next NECCSA update to emcemp@iafrica.com by 24 November. You may send such contributions in the language of your choice.

Distributed by EM Conradie 28/10/2002.