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'Ringing'endorsement for action on climate change
CHURCHES in Oxfordshire are joining in a mass ringing of bells this weekend in support of ambitious action for climate change.
On Sunday 13 December - at the height of the UN climate change summit - churches inDenmark will ring their bells at 3pm at the end of a high-profile celebration at the Lutheran Cathedral in Copenhagen, which will be transmitted live on Danish TV. The preacher will be our own Archbishop of Canterbury and the service will be attended by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Queen Margrethe II, as well as other church and political leaders.
The Copenhagen bells will be echoed right across the world. In the UK these include York Minster and Westminster Roman Catholic Cathedral. Two churches in Oxford taking part are St Frideswide's, Oxford, and St Michael and All Angels, New Marston.
Musical instruments such as bells and drums have long been used to warn people of imminent danger as well as calling people to religious service. The bells this weekend will ring 350 times, referring to 350 parts per million. This is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere according to many scientists, climate experts, and progressive national governments. The concentration currently stands at 390 ppm and rising.
Meanwhile, the Bishop of Oxford has said there is "simply no time to waste" on the urgent issue of climate change. In a video message released on the Diocese of Oxford website, he has called on world leaders to press ahead for a global deal at the Copenhagen summit on climate change.
His message is part of a special Copenhagen blog, which includes reports from the Wave and reflections from commentators attending or observing the summit. See: www.oxford.anglican.org/environment.
NOTES:
* For more information on the campaign see www.bellringing350.org <http://www.bellringing350.org/> .
* On Saturday 5 December an estimated 50,000 attended The Wave, the biggest ever UK climate change march. The Bishop of Reading helped lead a an ecumenical service organised by A Rocha, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Christian Concern for One World, Christian Ecology Link, Columban JPIC, MRDF, Operation Noah, Progressio, SPEAK and Tearfund.