The move has been welcomed on both sides, with BMS describing it as “essential”.
Dr Ashok Sinha, director of SCC, said: “We are delighted that BMS has joined our coalition. Faith-based organisations like BMS will play a critically important role in our campaign to change government policy, and to promote societal change, so that we can avert the grave danger that climate change poses to us all.”
BMS urged other Christians to get involved with the Stop Climate Chaos campaign, which aims to create a public mandate for political action to stop climate change caused by human activities.
Of particular concern to Christian groups like BMS World Mission is the particularly negative consequences that climate change has on people in poor countries where BMS bases most of its work.BMS' primary concern is that those most at risk from the effects of climate change are in developing nations.
BMS Director for Communications, Mark Craig
BMS development worker in Nepal, Martin Butterworth, has witnessed first-hand the impact of climate change as the rains essential for rice-planting came later than usual and threatened crops.
He also noted that when the rains did come they did not last as long as in precious years and that they were rather unusually followed by late rains during harvest.
"This is wrong," says Martin. "Everyone knows it stops raining before the Dasai Festival. Rain at harvest time flattens the rice."
James Taylor, a BMS volunteer currently working in development agriculture in Thailand, highlighted the threat that climate change poses to the country as well as other in the region.
“Where certain varieties of crops are grown near their limits of maximum temperature tolerance - such as rice in Southern Asia, increased temperature will be particularly detrimental,” he said.BMS Director for Communications, Mark Craig, said: "BMS' primary concern is that those most at risk from the effects of climate change are in developing nations. We really have to do more to help Christians throughout the UK take the threat seriously.
“Being part of the Stop Climate Change coalition is one way in which BMS can do that while also helping move our society towards a biblical model of stewardship of our natural resources."
Jennifer Riley
Christian Today Correspondent
