|TOP|The Bishop of Shrewsbury has urged churchgoers in the Diocese of Lichfield to take the lead in the fight against global warming, saying that the time had come for “stark choices”.

The Rt Rev Alan Smith said in the September issue of the diocese’s magazine Reflect that the impact of global warming was evident in the falling number of birds visiting the Shropshire beauty spot Long Mynd.

“There has been an 80 per cent reduction in Curlew, Snipe and Teal and there are no longer any Ring Ouzels. Global warming is not just about hurricanes in New Orleans. It is affecting things on our doorstep.”

He called on churches and churchgoers to reduce energy consumption; but added: “Although switching to low energy light bulbs, turning down the central heating by one degree and switching off the ‘standby’ lights on our televisions are important, they are not going to solve the problem.

|QUOTE|“The Bishop of London is correct in arguing that it is going to need more fundamental changes in lifestyles in the West and in the emerging economies in India and China.”

He went on: “It is here that our Christian faith gives us resources to draw on, based on the conviction that ‘The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it’.

“The world is not here to be recklessly plundered. God has entrusted the earth to us and we are here as stewards for a few years before we pass it onto the next generation.

“If we are going to be responsible for our stewardship of God’s world, then the time is approaching for making stark choices. As Christians we have an opportunity to lead the way in our local communities.”