News
Join the Dots Together items of interest
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What we read in July and August
Fungi and algae appeared in the news of late as water quality continues to cause concern. Belfast Live reported a more than 100% jump in blue-green algae reports across Northern Ireland in barely a month, with a related scare hitting the Lisburn canal too. The warm, dry conditions were the likely trigger for these blooms,…
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Protecting the Heart of the Sperrins
The Sperrin Mountains are once again at the centre of major planning decisions that could have a lasting impact on this outstanding landscape. A campaign is underway to “Save the Heart of the Sperrins” from a proposed development of 11 wind turbines, each up to 180 metres high, at Mullaghclogher (The Moat), near Plumbridge. The…
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Looking ahead to EcoOne Meeting 2026
Juanita Majury, a member of the Join the Dots Together Steering Group, is looking forward to attending the “EcoOne Meeting 2026”, taking place in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, from 18th–20th September. The international gathering will bring together people from different backgrounds who share a passion for the environment and the future of our planet. Through science,…
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Pope Leo’s message for the 11th World Day of Prayer for Creation
“They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Isaiah 2:4) Dear Brothers and Sisters, Our Lord Jesus Christ came so that we might have life and have it in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). This gift of life lies at the very heart of our mission as disciples and of our…
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Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action
2026: Climate & Biodiversity “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” (Romans 8:22) The Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action (2025 – 2035) challenges churches worldwide to confront two inseparable emergencies: climate breakdown and biodiversity collapse. In 2026, churches will wrestle with these realities…
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July Newletter Editorial
Last month, we reflected on alternative economic models that place people and planet at the centre of our systems. This month, we turn our attention to the political sphere and the shared responsibility we hold as citizens and people of faith. In Northern Ireland, we are acutely aware of the environmental threats facing our communities.…
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High Court rules Stormont department breached law for 20 years on MOT tests for diesel vehicles
Mr Justice Colton highlighted a lack of political will to deal with the ‘crucial issue’ Shauna Corr, Jul 03, 2026 Belfast High Court has ruled that a Stormont Department has been breaching the law for 20 years over its failure to test diesel cars for potentially dangerous emissions. It follows a judicial review by Friends…
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What We Read in June
The heat is real, and it’s not natural variability. The record UK/European heatwave in late June was, according to World Weather Attribution scientists, the most severe ever recorded across the region — temperatures reached 5–12°C above seasonal averages across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and southern England, and a similar heatwave in the climate of 1976…
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Christian-Muslim Dialogue on Integral Ecology
The Laudato Si’ Research Institute (LSRI) at Campion Hall, University of Oxford, recently offered an enriching course on Christian-Muslim Dialogue on Integral Ecology, exploring how the Christian and Muslim traditions can contribute together to addressing today’s interconnected ecological and social challenges. The course was led by Farhana Mayer, a Research Affiliate at the Laudato Si’…
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People’s Emergency Briefing: A Community Conversation on Climate and Nature
People’s Emergency Briefing: A Community Conversation on Climate and Nature What do climate change and the nature crisis mean for our everyday lives? How are they affecting our weather, food, health and cost of living? And what can we do about it? Greenpeace Belfast is inviting people from across the community to a special free…