Climate Change Committee
South African Council of Churches, Western Cape
Email: deon.snyman@telkomsa.net
Tel: 021-9495354

3 August 2009

Dear Friends and Colleagues

“Climate Change – a challenge to the church in South Africa”

On behalf of the Climate Change Committee of the South African Council of Churches, Western Cape (SACC, WC), I would like to introduce you to the final version of the document “Climate Change – a challenge to the church in South Africa” (564 Kb Adobe PDF Document).

A background to the document

A conference on climate change held in November 2007 at UWC identified the need for a document which would frame and inform a church response to the challenges posed by climate change in the South African context. Initially, this was taken up by a sub-committee of the South African Faith Communities' Environment Institute (SAFCEI). In April 2008 it requested the South African Council of Churches (SACC) to accept ownership of the drafting process. In March 2009 a Climate Change Committee of the SACC (WC) was formed to develop resources for the church in South African to respond appropriately with regard to issues of climate change. The committee was located in the Western Cape only for administrative purposes since it liased from the beginning with ecumenical structures elsewhere in the country. The committee decided that one such resource would be this document. It also recognised the need for a range of other resources (including liturgical material, Bible study material, hymns, material for discussion, suggestions for a practical response, a short summary etc) - for which this document would serve as a theological basis.

Since November 2007 no less than 10 versions of the document has been prepared, distributed, and discussed in various groups, conference sessions and workshops. Most recently it was discussed at workshops at Unisa, Diakonia Council of Churches and at UWC. It was continuously expanded and submitted for criticism, additions, and corrections. In this way the document has grown in length and hopefully also in clarity and depth.

Invitation: Comments, endorsement and circulation of document

The Climate Change Committee would, through this letter, like to invite you:

1. To offer comments, criticisms, corrections, suggestions and amendments with regard to the pre-final version of the document.
2. To formally endorse the document (see the final section of the document for details).
3. To forward the document to friends and colleagues and to invite them to comment on and endorse the document.
4. All comments and endorsements of the document should be forwarded to Prof Ernst Conradie, the Editorial Scribe of the committee (Email: econradie@uwc.ac.za).
5. All endorsements and comments should reach Prof Conradie by 30 August 2009.

The way forward

All comments will be incorporated in the 11th version of the document which would be the final version of the text.

The 11th version of the document will then be widely distributed as from the 15th of September 2009 and as many Christian leaders and church structures as possible will be invited to endorse the document.

The 12th version, which will also include the list of endorsements, will be available on 1 December 2009. The document will be officially launched to coincide with the opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference on the 1st of December 2009 in Copenhagen.

Support the document!

The Climate Change Committee is very grateful for the progress that we have made thus far and thanks all those who have worked hard to contribute to a strong theological basis for our response to the challenges facing us. As you will see, this is a comprehensive document, dealing with far more than just climate change. Our hope is that it will speak with a new voice, one where poor and consumer class Christians in South Africa will recognise that this is a challenge that can only be addressed together. We would therefore really like to encourage you to become part of the process by firstly giving us some feedback about the document and secondly by endorsing it.

With best wishes

Dr Deon Snyman
Secretary: Climate Change Committee
South African Council of Churches, Western Cape