Bishop cites Noah as climate change role model

The Bishop of London this week joined 200 children dressed in animal masks on a Noah’s Ark boat trip down the river Thames.

Organised by Operation Noah, a multi-denominational climate change campaign, the Ark trip aimed to highlight Christian concern for the global warming, and called on world government’s to take bold and ambitious action at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen later this year.

The protesters recalled the story of Noah - the first recorded person to respond to climate change - who acted in hope in the face of global flooding.

Speaking through a bicycle powered microphone, Bishop Chartres urged the British government to follow Noah’s example and take an ambitious stance at Copenhagen.

“Take the action that we all know is necessary to protect this fragile and very beautiful globe,” Chartres said.

Energy and Climate Change minister Ed Miliband joined the children’s protest.

“Now is the time for decisive action and faith groups have a decisive role to play in fighting climate change,” Miliband said.

“We need people of faith because they have particular regard for future generations.”

Rev Stephen Heard, Parliamentary Chaplain to the Bishop, said it is now “generally accepted” that the world is approaching a point beyond which it will be “too late” to combat climate change.

Rev Heard urged the government to be “strong and powerful” in its negotiations in Copenhagen.