But can we be assured that future generations will have a place in a free economy? See William J. Hausman, "Long-Term Trends in Energy Prices"; Morris A. Adelman, "Trends in the Price and Supply of Oil"; Bernard L. Cohen, "The Costs of Nuclear Power"; John G. Myers, Stephen Moore, and Julian L. Simon, "Trends in Availability of Non-Fuel Minerals"; H. E. Goeller, "Trends in Nonrenewable Resources"; and Roger A. Sedjo and Marion Clawson, "Global Forests Revisited," in The State of Humanity, ed. 45. In other words, there would be no uncompensated losers. Reading the plagues in Revelation, it appears that humanity will eventually make the land uninhabitable. Yet according to Psalm 24:1, the Earth and everything in it belongs to God. See also Dian J. Gaffen et al., "Multidecadal Changes in the Vertical Temperature Structure of the Tropical Troposphere," Science 287 (February 18, 2000): 1242—1245; and David E. Parker, "Temperatures High and Low," Science 287 (February 18, 2000): 1216—1217. Dr. Thomas Sieger Derr, Professor of Religion, Smith College This implies that proper environmental stewardship, while it seeks to harmonize the fulfillment of the needs of all creatures, nonetheless puts human needs above non-human needs when the two are in conflict. That means that whatever the Bible has to say about environmental stewardship still applies, and on a larger scale. If the rising co2 was responsible for the rising average temperature, the reverse should have been the case. In short, the lack of sound data to support claims of species extinction rates continues.65 Instead, the observational data indicate very low rates of extinction. Carbon dioxide is crucial to plant growth, and recent studies show that a doubling of atmospheric co2 results in an average 35 percent increase in plant growth efficiency.42  Plants of all kinds grown in doubled-co2 settings become more efficient in water use, more efficient in taking up minerals from the soil, and more resistant to disease, pests, excessive heat and cold, and both floods and droughts.43  Consequently, a portion of the great gains in agricultural productivity in the past century has been due not to intentional improvements in farming techniques but to enhanced atmospheric co2 caused by the burning of fossil fuels for energy to drive modern human economic activity.44  This means that rising co2 has made it easier to feed the world’s growing population. Utah State University political science professor Randy Simmons observes that "the Supreme Court declared in its Tellico Dam decision that the act defines ‘the value of endangered species as incalculable,’ that endangered species must ‘be afforded the highest of priority,’ and that ‘whatever the cost’ species loss must be stopped (tva v. Hill, 437 U.S. 187, 174, 184 [1978]). These principles indicate that a biblically sound environmental stewardship is fully compatible with private-property rights and a free economy, as long as people are held accountable for their actions. 6. But the enhanced precipitation at the poles is likely to enlarge polar ice caps, offsetting a long-term natural rise in sea level. Even though this period ends with a very warm El Niño event [which would exaggerate its high-temperature end], the resulting trend is still only one-fourth of model-predicted average global warming for the next 100 years for the layer measured by the satellite.35. Nicholas Eberstadt, "World Depopulation: Last One Out Turn Off the Lights," Milken Institute Review 2 (first quarter 2000): 38. With all their problems, they clearly attract more people than they drive away. The Bible teaches that as caretakers or managers of the environment, people are to practice good stewardship. Sherwood B. Idso, Carbon Dioxide: Friend or Foe? On the one hand, there is a direct and positive correlation between the degree of political and economic freedom and both the level of economic attainment and the rapidity of economic growth in countries around the world. Our ability to act responsibly toward nature has been hindered by our alienation from God. [5] D. A. Meese et al., "The Accumulation Record from the gisp2 Core as an Indicator of Climate Change throughout the Holocene," Science 266 (December 9, 1994): 1680—1682. Evidently, God has allowed man to work out those details on the basis of his own perceptions of needs–with those needs appropriately informed by an awareness of God and his principles. Gregg Easterbrook, A Moment on the Earth: The Coming Age of Environmental Optimism (New York: Viking, 1995), 582—585. For this, we are truly grateful. (By the way, we can only look at other people’s outward appearance. [3] S. L. Thompson and D. Pollard, "A Global Climate Model (Genesis) with a Land-Surface Transfer Scheme," Journal of Climate 8 (April 1995): 732—761. For instance, air and water are the major resources suffering from pollution in certain places because they are usually treated as common property, that is, property where no one has exclusivity. This legislation, rather than creating incentives for people to act as good stewards of their own land and of its plant and animal inhabitants, often has exactly the opposite effect by making people fearful of losing use of that land. 8:21). The images evoked by the term overpopulation–hungry families; squalid, overcrowded living conditions; early death–are real enough in the modern world, but these are properly described as problems of poverty.31. Stewardship Study Bible-NIV: Discover God's Design Forlife, the Environment, Finances, Generosity and Eternity | Zondervan Bibles | ISBN: 0025986948481 | Kostenloser Versand für alle Bücher mit Versand und Verkauf duch Amazon. He put people in charge of running it. Maybe no one sees a connection between “religion” and the issues of the day. Dr. Peter J. Hill, President, Association of Christian Economists, and Professor of Economics, Wheaton College 61. Excerpt from a speech by Jerry Taylor delivered on February 4, 1997, to the Environmental Grantmakers Association: "Environmentalism in a Market Society: Creative Ideas." For a discussion of the American West and how different property rights systems affected stewardship practices, especially as these practices pertained to species preservation, see Terry L. Anderson and Donald R. Leal, Free Market Environmentalism (San Francisco: Pacific Research Institute, 1991), chapter 3. Another way of altering property rights in air is through "the bubble concept." If their perceptions are correct, their wealth increases; if they guess incorrectly, they suffer a wealth loss. If you purchase anything through those links, I receive a commission. Christians have every reason to embrace an appropriate environmental ethic, one that honors creation but distinguishes it from the Creator. Computed from Fernand Braudel, The Structures of Everyday Life, vol. They have considered people basically as consumers and polluters. It is ultimately His and should be used for His purposes. (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998); Timothy D. Terrell, "Property Rights and Externality: The Ethics of the Austrian School," Journal of Markets and Morality 2 (fall 1999): 197—207; and Michael B. Barkey, "Translating Environmental Ethics into Public Policy," Journal of Markets and Morality (forthcoming). While we celebrate the decline in pollution as economies advance, however, we must not be distracted from the need to accelerate that decline in presently developing countries. 5:17—21; Eph. Ronald Bailey (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000), 64. Since rising prices reflect increasing scarcity and falling prices reflect decreasing scarcity, we can learn long-term resource supply trends from long-term price trends. See Stephen Moore, "The Coming Age of Abundance," in The True State of the Planet, ed. The original Fall and our continued rebellion mean that we act selfishly, that we have limited knowledge, and that we often fail to recognize the full potential in the created order. 4:24; Col. 3:10). O.] 35. It just brought environmental callousness to a greater scale than ever before. Mikhail Bernstam, "Comparative Trends in Resource Use and Pollution in Market and Socialist Economies," in The State of Humanity, ed. Only people who acknowledge God as God will survive. In fact, these and other data indicate that the number of recorded extinctions for both plants and animals is very small." For instance, a landowner who knows there is coal on his land can readily obtain information through the price system about how others in society value that coal. To some extent they might be, but it is very unlikely that the reductions in emissions could be achieved through government-mandated efficiency measures alone; almost certainly, some actual loss of production would result. These principles, when applied, promote both economic growth and environmental quality. Environmental Stewardship in the Bible, re-post We have God-given responsibilities to non-human organisms Genesis 1:26-28 seems to indicate clearly that humans were placed in charge of the non-human world. Each of these proposals involves government action of some sort. Human initiative needs to take place within an institutional framework that promotes environmental stewardship. We observe, however, that fluctuations (anomalies) from a linear sl rise show a pronounced anti-correlation with global average temperature–and even more so with tropical average sea surface temperature. This section is drawn largely from the work of Peter J. Hill, with his permission, especially from his "Biblical Principles Applied to a Natural Resources/Environment Policy," in Biblical Principles and Public Policy: The Practice, ed. Peel suggests that there are four important principles about biblical stewardship we must understand: 1. As field ecologist Rowan Martin argued earlier about wildlife resource preserves in southern Africa, empirical observation confirms that, when monetary values are more fully aligned with other (such as environmental) values, the institutional arrangement allows for the maximization of both values. Genuine problems require genuinely creative solutions, and property harnesses human creativity to the realization of human needs. Early versions of those models predicted that a doubling of atmospheric co2 would cause global average temperature to increase by 5oC or more (nearly 10oF). A Biblical Perspective on Environmental Stewardship, Public Policy: Environmental Stewardship in the Judeo-Christian Tradition: Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant Wisdom on the Environment. More recently, Rev. 59. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1996); Max Singer, Passage to a Human World: The Dynamics of Creating Global Wealth (Indianapolis: Hudson Institute, 1987); Michael Cromartie, ed., The Nine Lives of Population Control (Washington, D.C., and Grand Rapids, Mich.: Ethics and Public Policy Center/Eerdmans Publishing, 1995); and Michael B. Barkey, Paul Cleveland, and Gregory M. A. Gronbacher, "Population, the Environment, and Human Capital" (forthcoming). He can continue to pollute if he is willing to pay the cost, and, if he does, the additional benefits to society from the polluting activity exceed the additional costs. With different expectations by members of the population about the resource’s future value, the average perception will dominate. 8:5). Over the years, you’ve supported us generously with your prayers, encouragement, and resources. The Acton Institute’s international events calendar includes public lectures, academic seminars, joint participation in panels, and the annual Acton University conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Freer economies use fewer resources and emit less pollution while producing more goods per man-hour than less free economies. Many pages have links to Amazon.com or other places that offer products for sale. Under such a system, government specifies the amount of pollution that can occur from each source and, in many cases, also specifies the technology to be used in reducing emissions. By making 1998 the final year of the study, the researchers chose a year in which global average temperatures were pushed markedly higher by an unusually strong El Niño; had the series ended with 1997 instead, the satellite data would have shown no statistically significant decadal trend, and the differential between them and the surface data would have been larger. 16:27; Rom. Old Testament Stewardship Stewardship permeates the pages of the Bible because how we respond to God is at the heart of the Book. 20:8; 1 Cor. Rights to the pollution would then be available to producers in the area. For instance, a tax per unit of air or water pollution increases the costs of using the air or water as a waste disposal mechanism. In other words, if the present generation thinks that, on average, the resource has a future value (discounted to the present) greater than its value in present consumption, it will be preserved. 12. Another component of a private-property rights system is that it does not depend on complete social agreement for action to take place. Mr. Taylor adds, "That’s certainly true if a pollutant is truly harmful or a significant nuisance, since individuals–not government authorities–would have the final say over how much pollution they were willing to tolerate on their property or person. See Samuel H. Preston, "Human Mortality throughout History and Prehistory"; and Kenneth Hill, "The Decline of Childhood Mortality," in The State of Humanity, ed. Matt. 21:28—36; 22:5—6). Nicholas Eberstadt, "Population, Food, and Income: Global Trends in the Twentieth Century," in The True State of the Planet, ed. Again, the appropriate question to ask is, Compared to what? Freedom, the expression of the image of God, may be abused by sin and, therefore, needs restrictions (1 Pet. 34. But the alternative, however attractively humble it might sound, is really untenable. Julian L. Simon and Aaron Wildavsky, "On Species Loss, the Absence of Data, and Risks to Humanity," in The Resourceful Earth, ed. "76 Such a zealous legislative commitment ignores the full scale of human values that a free economy otherwise allows to show through in the pricing system. The fact that the world is not experiencing overpopulation or destructive, manmade global warming or rampant species loss does not mean that a change in policies or practices is not needed to address other issues. Other indicators apparently continue to increase, regardless of gross domestic product (gdp) per capita. Fernand Braudel, The Structures of Everyday Life, vol. 13:1—7; Exod. The Marvels of Human Achievement 70. Indeed, Christ even involves fallen humans in this work of restoring creation (Rom. Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media. 4:2; Luke 12:42; 16:1-2). A more likely estimate of total species might be five to ten million, which, inserted into the model, would yield about 380 to 770 extinctions per year. But you did. 19:4—6); and conformity to a standard (Lev. The fact that a piece of property can be bought or sold means that a resource owner who ignores the wishes of other people does so at a cost to himself, a reduction of wealth. In other words, transferability encourages people to seek out and engage in the most mutually beneficial property arrangements possible. 1. After all, the result of God’s intervention will be the destruction of evil and the restoration of the bountiful goodness we were supposed to take care of in the first place. On global warming in general, see Robert C. Balling, The Heated Debate: Greenhouse Predictions Versus Climate Reality (San Francisco: Pacific Research Institute, 1992); Patrick J. Michaels, Sound and Fury: The Science and Politics of Global Warming (Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute, 1992); Patrick J. Michaels and Robert C. Balling, The Satanic Gases: Clearing the Air about Global Warming (Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute, 2000); Thomas Gale Moore, Climate of Fear: Why We Shouldn’t Worry About Global Warming (Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute, 1998); Frederick Seitz, Robert Jastrow, and William A. Nierenberg, Scientific Perspectives on the Greenhouse Problem (Washington, D.C.: George C. Marshall Institute, 1989); and S. Fred Singer, Hot Talk, Cold Science: Global Warming’s Unfinished Debate (Oakland, Calif.: Independent Institute, 1997). Our stewardship under God implies that we are morally accountable to him for treating creation in a manner that best serves the objectives of the kingdom of God; but both moral accountability and dominion over the earth depend on the freedom to choose. Sherwood B. Idso, Carbon Dioxide and Global Change: Earth in Transition (Tempe, Ariz.: ibr Press/Institute for Biospheric Research, 1989), 108. (Tempe, Ariz.: ibr Press/Institute for Biospheric Research, 1982), 73—80, esp. Why? Patrick Moore, one of the founders of Greenpeace International, said in an interview in the New Scientist in December 1999, "The environmental movement abandoned science and logic somewhere in the mid-1980s ... political activists were using environmental rhetoric to cover up agendas that had more to do with class warfare and anti-corporatism than with the actual science...." What we have said above indicates that Moore was right in his critique of the movement to which he made such an important early contribution. To environmentalists, letting man have dominion over the animals and being told to subdue the earth means that God gives man free rein to do anything he wants to the planet—bend it to his uses and abuses, rape … 24. In short: Biblical stewardship is one of the primary ways Christ calls us to live our life. 64. Diane Knippers, President, Institute for Religion and Democracy The fact is illustrated well by the situation in the United States. The principle of ownership. 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