A former New Zealand Prime Minister who was until recently administrator of the United Nations Development Programme believes the role of religion and faith organisations in developing and securing peace is “absolutely critical”. – Originally published 7 August 2017. The Rt Hon Helen Clark ONZ PC said this in response to a question put to Read more
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is joining others from the Catholic Church’s international aid agency’s call for climate debt to be erased in vulnerable Pacific countries. Some are struggling to pay for basic social costs due to crippling debt repayment, Caritas says. Caritas spokesperson Tony Sutorius says worsening cyclones and flooding have created severe financial burdens. Read more
A Wellington woman says the city’s new cycle lanes are opening up a world of possibilities of what can be achieved without motor vehicles. Last weekend Beth Walker – an executive assistant and researcher in Green MP Julie Anne Genter’s office – moved into her new flat with the help of a collection of cargo Read more
Pope Francis has encountered criticism throughout his visit to Belgium, with the country’s king and prime minister urging him to take stronger steps to support survivors of abuse by Catholic clergy. Additionally, a rector at another Catholic university called on him to reconsider the Church’s prohibition on ordaining women as priests. The visit underscored the Read more
Composting is not for everyone. I realise this when I go home to visit my parents in Florida, or almost anywhere outside states, such as Vermont, that mandate it. Curbside pickup is rare. Many view it as a chore. Even for people like me who enjoy transforming leftovers into rocket fuel for their garden, composting Read more
Climate change is already affecting our lives in so many ways, but spare a thought for our creepy crawly friends, and the effect that hotter temperatures are having on their sex lives. A study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution has suggested that increasing temperatures are causing insects to change their colouring to avoid Read more
I am tempted to depression and despair when faced with the reality of global warming, and I fear that I am not alone. Global warming Carbon dioxide levels continue to increase, followed by rising temperatures around the world. Sea levels are rising as ice melts, droughts are spreading and storms are getting stronger, leading to Read more
Oceania’s Pacific Islands are especially vulnerable to climate change, a climate conference in Rome heard this week. Registrations for the “Oceania Speaks” conference included representatives from the Holy See diplomatic corps, religious communities and charitable organisations. The June 23 event aimed to raise awareness of the impact of climate change in the Asia Pacific region. Read more
Every day, massive floods of information flow around us, inviting us to choose which samples to consume. Those who publish this information claim to be telling us what is happening in the world, but in our wiser moments we remember to question whether they are offering us the truth. From experience, we know that the Read more
The private jet passengers saunter down the red carpet, wearing sunglasses and heels; paparazzi cameras flash. The sky is blue, the air control tower in the background is watchful and the climate protesters on each side of the red carpet are holding banners and chanting, “If we allow private jets, climate change is what we Read more