This year, we have witnessed extreme weather caused by climate change in Europe as well as across the globe with heatwaves and floods affecting Germany, North-West Europe, Greece, Turkey, Spain and Italy. This year's Advent Appeal will go to agencies supporting people affected by man-made climate change. 

"Climate change is probably the biggest single issue facing humanity at present and into the future," says Bishop Robert in his Advent Appeal 2021 letter. "But this last summer, we have been forcibly reminded that climate change is a global phenomenon that visits our own doorstep in Europe: fires have taken hold in Greece, Spain and Turkey; there has been severe and fatal flooding in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Our chaplain in Liège, Revd Guy Diakiese, was among those pushing water and mud out of the living-rooms of neighbours."

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change, released a report in August. The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres said the Working Group's report was nothing less than "a code red for humanity"  The report emphasises that "Climate change is widespread, rapid, and intensifying, and some trends are now irreversible, at least during the present time frame."

At the start of Creationtide in September, Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Justin Welby jointly urged people to pray for world leaders ahead of COP-26, for individuals to make meaningful sacrifices and responsibility over resources for the sake of the planet and for those with far-reaching responsibilities to choose people-centred profits and lead the transition to just and sustainable economies. Their joint declaration said: 

‘We stand before a harsh justice: biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and climate change are the inevitable consequences of our actions, since we have greedily consumed more of the earth’s resources than the planet can endure. But we also face a profound injustice: the people bearing the most catastrophic consequences of these abuses are the poorest on the planet and have been the least responsible for causing them,’ .

For the diocese, Bishop Robert's Advent Appeal is to provide European Climate Disaster relief. The Bishop writes "very high rates of rainfall and very high temperatures have a devastating impact on the wellbeing of people and property, as we have seen in our corner of the world ... so my Advent Appeal this year will be focused on assisting agencies that are working in these parts of Europe, as they bring support to those who are affected by man-made climate change." 

There are four agencies drawn from across our close ecumenical and faith partnerships that will supported by this Appeal. These are: Caritas, Apostoli, The "Churchhelp" arm of the Evangelical Church in Germany and First Hope Association, an NGO operating in Turkey. Funds raised by this Appeal will be allocated among these agencies.

How you can donate to the Bishop in Europe’s Advent Appeal 2021:

-By cheque made out to: Diocese in Europe (Advent Appeal 2021)

Send to: Nick Wraight, Diocese in Europe, 14 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3QZ

-By bank transfer to: 

Account number: 40317039  Sort code: 20-06-13

IBAN: GB16 BUKB 2006 1340 3170 39

Swiftbic: BUKBGB22

-On the Diocese in Europe Just Giving page:

https://www.justgiving.com/diocese-ineurope