On Wednesday 5th November, Christians in Parliament hosted a panel discussion on the topic of 'Can We Afford to Save the Planet?', looking at the economics of environmental spending, in partnership with RSPB, A Rocha UK and Bible Society.
The event was chaired by Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, with a panel including Rt Hon Lord Lawson of Blaby, Prof. Michael Jacobs (LSE), Bishop James Jones (former Bishop of Liverpool), Andrew Lilico (Europe Economics), Martin Harper (RSPB) and Andy Lester (A Rocha UK). Over 75 people were in attendance for what was a lively discussion, with strongly diverging view put forward by the various panellists. The discussion was particularly timely given the publication on November 2nd of the Synthesis of the Fifth Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Panellists debated the findings of the Report, as well as what they thought the right approach should be in the coming century to changes in global climate.
The audience contained a range of experts in the field of environmental science, humanitarian relief and development and church leaders and there was a lively question and answer session following the panel discussion. You can read a report on the event from one of the attendees, writing for the New Statesman, here.
You can listen to and download an audio recording from the event below: