Spec 1

Recycle/protect the environment/stop pollution/raise awareness about environmental issues, etc.

2021

Reduce / recycle / reuse / raise awareness about the abuse of the world’s natural resources / walk or cycle or use public transport instead of petrol or diesel cars / select products that have little plastic packaging / turn off lights that are not being used / reuse bags for shopping / live sustainably / replant trees to prevent deforestation / use renewable energy / write to MPs / use the media / educate people, etc.

2021

Some religious believers accept the Big Bang theory which is currently the leading scientific explanation for how the universe began / it suggests that the universe started with an incredibly small, hot, dense something – a singularity, which expanded over approximately 13.8 billion years or so to become the cosmos which we know today / as the universe cooled the material which had been flung in all directions became stars and galaxies and planets, etc.

Christianity
Genesis 1 states that God designed and created the universe and it was good / God spoke the universe ex nihilo (out of nothing) / Genesis 1.1 – 2.3 says that God created the universe and everything in it in six days and rested on the seventh day and made it holy / some Christians believe that this is literally true but others say that the story is designed to show that the universe wasn’t an accident but was created by God / others accept the Big Bang theory as the way God created everything, etc.

Judaism
Genesis 1 tells how God, by speaking, created everything that exists, including humans on the sixth day / “When God began to create heaven and earth – the earth being un-formed and void” Genesis 1:1 / the Torah says that God created the universe and everything in it in six days and rested on the seventh day and made it holy / many Jews say that the Torah suggests that God designed everything and so do not accept that it was an accident / some Jews believe that the Big Bang was caused by God / others say that Judaism asks the question ‘Why did the universe come into being not how, etc.

2022

Human survival depends on looking after the environment / if it is abused it cannot easily be replaced or repaired / the way the environment is treated will affect future generations so people should reduce, reuse and recycle / non-renewable resources cannot be replaced / human actions have a real impact on nature and the climate / if it isn’t protected the world will turn into a desert or become burning hot, etc.

Christianity
God created humans to look after the world (Genesis – Adam and Eve looked after the Garden of Eden) / people have not been given the right to abuse, spoil, waste or destroy what God has made / ideas of stewardship and trusteeship – Genesis 2: 15, Psalm 8: 6 / important to live sustainably / God will hold people accountable on Judgement Day / humans are only tenants of God’s world (Leviticus 25 : 23), etc.

Judaism
God created humans to look after the environment (Genesis – Adam and Eve looked after the Garden of Eden) / ideas of stewardship and trusteeship / the bal tashchit (do not waste) precept supports looking after the environment / Leviticus – love thy neighbour / ‘All that I created for you …. do not corrupt or desolate my world …’ (Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7: 13) / God will hold people accountable on Judgement Day / tikkun olam (healing the world) / the Messiah will come when the
world is healed, etc. 

2023

God created the world / belief in stewardship / human survival depends on looking after the world / there is only one world and it cannot be replaced / need to think of future generations and not abuse the world / non-renewable resources cannot be replaced / human actions have a real impact on nature and the climate, etc.

Christianity
God created humans to look after the world (Genesis – Adam and Eve looked after the Garden of Eden) / ideas of stewardship and trusteeship – Genesis 2:15, Psalm 8:6 / important to live sustainably / God will hold people accountable on Judgement Day / humans are only tenants of God’s world (Leviticus 25:23), etc.

Judaism
God created humans to look after the world (Genesis – Adam and Eve looked after the Garden of Eden) / ideas of stewardship and trusteeship / the bal tashchit (do not waste) precept supports looking after the world / Leviticus – love thy neighbour / ‘All that I created for you …. do not corrupt or desolate my world …’ (Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13) / God will hold people accountable on Judgement Day / tikkun olam (healing the world) / the Messiah will come when the world is healed, etc.

2018

Arguments in support
– There are so many people in the world the environment is certain to be abused, damaged or destroyed. There is great demand on resources like oil, wood, minerals, etc.
– People abuse the environment to survive eg need for wood and energy for cooking.
– Modern lifestyles and technology demand resources. Use of fossil fuels causes pollution. CFCs in fridges are destroying the ozone layer. Carbon emissions from vehicles, power stations and factories are causing climate change (the greenhouse effect) and acid rain, etc.
– It is impossible to turn the clock back once it has started to happen.
– There are increasing amounts of waste are being created by a throwaway society. People are demanding more and more – the Earth cannot cope: forests are being destroyed, plastic and non-biodegradable materials are causing pollution and pesticides are getting into the food chain. People are more concerned with practising dominion than stopping abuse of the environment, etc.

Arguments in support of other views
– People should be concerned about future generations and encourage sustainable development.
– Harm the planet and it affects us all so it should be an important priority to stop abuse eg. reduce, recycle, reuse.
– Take action to prevent animal habitats being destroyed and species becoming extinct.
– Religions teach to be good stewards and to look after mother earth. Humans have been given responsibility to care for the world for God and should live sustainably.
– Earth summits show that things can be done, etc.
– Education changes the way people behave.
– More efforts by more people makes more difference.
– We can pass laws to protect the environment and punish transgressors.
– Campaigns have been effective in the past so will be in the future, eg. reintroducing species / ant plastic.

Christianity
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it’ Psalm 24:1 / trustees and so will be answerable to God / ideas of stewardship and dominion – Genesis 1:28 / only tenants of the world – Leviticus 25:23 / the Assisi and Ohito meetings and Earth Summits / must face God on Judgement Day / nothing more important that seeking God – Matthew 6:33 / Pope John Paul II has said that people are responsible for the future of the planet, etc.

Judaism
Creation story in Genesis says that God created an environment that was good / humans given the role of stewardship / ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it’ Psalm 24 : 1 / idea of dominion / duty to treat the world with respect eg leave fallow to restore fertility / healing the world (tikkun olam) / concept of do not destroy (bal tashchit) / not possible to ‘love your neighbour’ if damaging the environment, etc.

Spec 2

Pollution damages the world that God created/abuse of stewardship/will produce bad karma/not a loving or compassionate act because it affects people and other living creatures, etc.

2019

Encourage governments to keep to their internationally agreed targets to reduce pollution / write to MPs / use the media / educate people / reduce gas emissions which cause acid rain / use renewable, clean energies / campaign for more safeguards to prevent massive oil spills / reduce the use of toxic chemicals / campaign for the control of pesticides / personally avoid littering / set a good example by clearing up litter / reduce / recycle / reuse / reduce reliance on plastic / use public transport / walk /cycle / electric vehicles / plant trees / support charities like A Rocha, Operation Noah.