State of Creation Reports 

 

Caring for creation requires clear and accurate information

about the health and integrity of the earth’s climate system, 

forests, freshwater, soils, animal populations, and all the

other incredible life-giving ecological systems that comprise

God’s gift of creation. It also requires honestly accepting

the truth about current ecological realities, good or bad, and 

responding to the real challenges we face by drawing on

Christian virtues, values, and biblical truths, and by coming

together as an evangelical community to act with love,

conviction, and gospel hope. To help evangelicals develop a

clear-eyed understanding of the state of God’s creation we

have developed the following list of important environmental

reports and studies.

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CLIMATE

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GLOBAL REPORTS

Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming Above 1.5 ºC. (2018)

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• Link to the report.

• Link to frequently asked questions.

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Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC) Six Assessment Report (2021)

• Link to the report.

 

UNITED STATES & NORTH AMERICA REPORTS

Fourth National Climate Assessment: Vol I & II (2018 & 2017)

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• Link to the website.

• (2018) Vol II:  Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States. Link to the report.

• (2017) Vol I: Climate Science Special Report. Link to the report.

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Second State of the Carbon Cycle Report -North America (2018)

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• Link to the report.

 

ECOSYSTEMS

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UN Environment’s 6th Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6, 2019)

GEO-6 builds on the findings of previous GEO reports, including the six regional assessments (2016), and outlines the current state of the environment, illustrates possible future environmental trends and analyses the effectiveness of policies. This flagship report shows how governments can put the world on the path to a truly sustainable future. It emphasizes that urgent and inclusive action is needed by decision makers at all levels to achieve a healthy planet with healthy people.

• Link to the report 

 

Species Extinction:  UN Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2019)

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• Link to the report.

• “Species Extinction Rates Accelerating” Link to media release

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We realize that some fellow evangelicals may not agree with the findings of these reports, either in part, or in whole. Nevertheless, these are the commonly accepted reports that are being used, discussed, and in some cases even debated, in the process of informing environmental policies and actions. We share these reports, therefore, because we are convinced that evangelicals should be aware of them, and likewise take them into consideration as they consider how to care for creation.