Environmental ministers from 120 nations gathered in Bali, Indonesia today in an effort to formulate a new climate change pact that will replace the Kyoto agreement which is due to expire in 2012. During his opening address of the session, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon stated that now is the time for action on climate change, and warned that without an global agreement to curb emissions, the world will face more unprecedented disasters such as drought, famine, flash floods and more extreme weather. He added that climate change was the "defining challenge of our age", and that "the time for equivocation is over. The science is clear. Climate change is happening. The impact is real. The time to act is now".

Quote: "Distinguished Delegates, What the world expects from Bali - from all of you - is an agreement to launch negotiations towards a comprehensive climate change agreement. You need to set an agenda - a roadmap to a more secure climate future, coupled with a tight time-line that produces a deal by 2009. The date is crucial not only to ensure continuity after 2012, when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires -- but equally, to address the desperate urgency of the situation itself.

For the first time in living memory, the Arctic's Northwest passage was navigable by sea this year. Just this week scientists warned that if current trends continue, by 2012 the Arctic ocean could be entirely free of ice during the summer time and the polar ice cap could disappear completely within three decades. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair previously stated that the world had until 2012 to solve the issue of global warming before it would be too late.

Quote: ""If we don't get the right agreement internationally for the period after which the Kyoto protocol will expire -- that's in 2012 -- if we don't do that then I think we are in serious trouble," he told a parliamentary committee. Asked if the world had seven years to implement measures on climate change before the problem reached "tipping point", Blair answered: "Yes".

Climate change is real, but it is debateable as to whether the science is real or not. Al Gore's Oscar-winning Inconvenient Truth was recently branded unfit for public viewing in UK schools after a British judge found it to be politically partisan. The judge also found Al Gore had made nine distinct errors and exaggerations in his video, claims which are not supported by either the scientific community or the UN's own climate change body - the IPCC. The video is still making the rounds in US schools despite the UK ruling. Other scientists believe that the changes we are witnessing now in the earth's climate may be caused primarily by changes in the sun. Habibullo Abdussamatov, head of space research at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory in Russia, believes that the irradiance of the sun has much more influence over our climate than man-made emissions. Abdussamatov points out that the ice caps on Mars are also shrinking due to a global warming effect, and this can only be explained by an increase in the irradiance of the sun.

Quote: "Abdussamatov believes that changes in the sun's heat output can account for almost all the climate changes we see on both planets. Mars and Earth, for instance, have experienced periodic ice ages throughout their histories. "Man-made greenhouse warming has made a small contribution to the warming seen on Earth in recent years, but it cannot compete with the increase in solar irradiance," Abdussamatov said. By studying fluctuations in the warmth of the sun, Abdussamatov believes he can see a pattern that fits with the ups and downs in climate we see on Earth and Mars. Abdussamatov's work, however, has not been well received by other climate scientists.

Although Abdussamatov's observations may be dismissed by the scientific community, I would be inclined to agree with his conclusions. Climate change does occur, but according to the Bible, God has placed bounds on it that cannot be exceeded. Genesis 8:22 states, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease". But the Bible does state that despite man's best intentions to combat climate change, God is still in complete control of our weather systems on earth. During the tribulation period, an angel is prophesied to pour out his vial upon the sun, and power will be given to him to scorch men with great heat. The unbelievers will recognize God's sovereign power over the weather, but still they will not repent of their wickedness. 

Revelation 16:8-9
And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory

In reality, climate change is part of God's judgement on this world. World leaders have deceived their people by saying its possible to reverse the effects of climate change by simply curbing our emissions. It may sound like good science but it is bad theology. The Bible states there is a direct link between climate change and heart change.

2nd Chronicles 7:12-14
And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Haggai 1:9-11
Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

Things will get much worse in the near future. Praise God that He is merciful, and though the earth will be burned up and all the works in it, He will create a new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (2nd Peter 3:12-13). Will you be there? Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Source Reuters, Boston Globe, ENN, National Geographic