By Iain Gray

Copyright newsletter

This week, a survey claimed to have found that Presbyterians are the least concerned about climate change, while Catholics care the most. According to the survey, less than half of Presbyterians trust scientists over climate change, while less than two-fifths think it’s caused “mainly or entirely by human activity” – making them the most climate sceptic religious people in Northern Ireland. By contrast, went the findings, three-quarters of Catholics trusted scientists, while more than 60% think climate change is the result of human activity. The research also stated four in five Catholics believe that politicians should be doing more about climate change and that they personally have a responsibility to play their part in tackling it, comparing to around two-thirds of Presbyterians. The poll was run by the ARK social policy hub, a collaboration between social scientists at Queen’s and Ulster universities. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has now pushed back against those results, pointing out that it is staging an environmental conference on stewarding God’s creation next Saturday – and, although a spokesman didn’t dispute the academic poll’s statistics, emphasised that the Church got very different results when it carried out its own survey last year. “As a Church, we will be holding a conference on September 27 in Belfast, entitled “God’s World: Our Responsibility?” said the spokesman. “At it, we will explore the biblical story from creation to new creation, showing how our responsibility to God for the Earth connects with proclaiming the gospel and loving our neighbour.” Last year, the Presbyterian Church carried it out its own survey on the environmental concerns of its members. The results were unveiled at the 2024 General Assembly and found that, in contrast to the academic work, 71% were concerned or very concerned about climate change, while 58% think that climate change is a threat to their health and lifestyle. Three-quarters of respondents thought a biblical understanding of faith underpinned their concerns for the environment, while 68% believe the actions of humanity contribute to climate change – which is actually a larger proportion than Catholics believed in this week’s academic survey. Discussing the results at last year’s assembly, Rev Stephen McCracken said: “Our global mission partners at recent general assemblies have spoken passionately about the reality of climate change and its severe impact on their communities. That surely gives added urgency to us playing our role in responsible stewardship of creation. “Closer to home, the plight of Lough Neagh and recent severe flooding in several of our towns show that we are not immune from its harmful impacts too.” Academics behind this week’s survey maintained their results show the need for greater “moral leadership from religious communities” on climate change. Co-author Dr Jonny Hanson from Queen’s University said: “Climate change is a defining issue of our time. “There is therefore an urgent need for engagement with religious communities to address climate change in NI and beyond.”