The weather, plants, and animals are all part of the environment God created on Earth. The Bible says that they are as much a part of God’s creation as mankind itself: Isaiah 43:20–21, the wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise. Job 37:14–18 listen to this, stop and consider God’s wonders and do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised; those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge? You who swelter in your clothes when the land lies hushed under the south wind, can you join him in spreading out the skies, hard as a mirror of cast bronze. Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
It is important according to the Bible to study the Earth and the environment. The Bible says that knowledge of God and his works can be found in understanding plants and animals and delicate web of life and that’s why Jesus used the Earth to teach us as reflected in the parable of the Mustard Seed in the book of Mark 4: 30–32. Further still the bible says, ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you and which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is life of every creature and the breath of all mankind as shown in the book of Job 12:7-10. Leviticus 25:23–24, says that the land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.”
The no harm rule is well articulated in book of Isaiah 11:9, they will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea and, in the Bible, God commands man to be a steward of the environment. Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesy about the dire consequences that may occur when man disobeys God and fails to take care of the Earth. While contemporary elaborations of the no-harm rule tend to refer to any damage to the environment, it also recognizes that environmental protection has to be balanced against the sovereign right to exploit national resources. States neither have the freedom to carry out all activities on their territory regardless of the consequences, nor the absolute right to be free of impacts from other states. As a result, there is a general consensus that transboundary interference must be “of serious consequence” and cause at least “significant”, “substantial” or “appreciable”
The creation of the earth with a horizon layer shared by all nations overrides neighborhood jurisdictions and no harm rule which is a principle in international law on environment. The law of the bible on environment remains supreme and thus the negative impacts of climate change are universal. Defying biblical laws on environment indicates that the so-called greenhouse gases are only responsible for about 60% of global warming. ‘Traditional’ air pollutants that directly affect human health, such as ‘black carbon’ (i.e. soot) and ‘tropospheric ozone’, could be responsible for up to 40 %. Black carbon, for example, is formed through the combustion of solid fuels. Most of it currently originates in developing countries. It warms the Earth by absorbing heat in the atmosphere and by reducing the ability to reflect sunlight when deposited on snow and ice. This causes melting and over longer periods of time further reduces the surface reflectivity of the Earth. Black carbon may also indirectly cause changes in the absorption or reflection of solar radiation through changes in the properties and behavior of clouds. But whereas CO2 has an atmospheric lifetime of more than 100 years, black carbon and ozone are ‘short lived climate forcers’ that remain in the atmosphere for only several days or weeks. To date, these gases are not covered by the Kyoto Protocol. They tend to stay within the troposphere – the lowest layer of the atmosphere – and their transport and dispersion is limited. It may therefore be easier to demonstrate an impact on neighboring territories and perceive their harmful impact in the traditional transboundary context.
Finally, Climate change is real and the sovereign right by Christians to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of neighbors or of areas beyond the limits of neighborhood jurisdiction. It confirms that the no-harm rule is well emphasized in the book of Isaiah 11:9 which is aligned with the international law surrounding climate change, and has some relevance to the relationship between people and nations. However, to date, because Christians have defied the biblical teaching about the environment as the negative impacts of climate change and global warming remains a threat to mankind.
Lastly, it is highly recommended that, the clergy and Christians must be part of the climate change agenda and climate change should be part of their preaching and service delivery. The clergy should be motivated to study about environment and climate finance alongside theology and for the respect of God, every Christian should plant a tree or trees during Christmas season to act as a symbol of remembrance for the birth of Jesus Christ. Each Christian home should have Christmas tree(s) and those who can go extra mile to protect the environment through commercial tree planting, financing, innovations, technology and responsible waste management should also be blessed during this festive season. The no harm approach should be strongly appreciated and the principle remains, if you do not Protech the environment, then don’t cause harm to it.
Merry Christmas and Prosperous, environmentally Friendly, 2025.
To join a Society for Environment and Climate Change Experts call +256 777 222 732.
The writer, Denis Tukahikaho PhD is the CEO of Denning & Young Ltd., a Carbon Credit Farmer, an ESG development Specialist, and a Promoter for the Society of Environment and Climate Finance Experts.
+256 777 222 732 [email protected]
Denis Tukahikaho holds a PhD in environmental Management & Economics, he is a PhD student in International Relations and Diplomacy – AI University Hawaii USA, holds a Master of Energy & Policy, Executive MBA, Bachelors of Business Administration (Banking & Finance) and Diploma in business Management and Economics.
