The church and sustainable development: a case study of All Africa Conference of Churches in the conservation of forests in Africa

Abstract

This research sought to understand the relationship between the attitudes of Christians as defined by their belief and teachings and how this has affected the conservation of forests in Africa. It did so by understanding perceptions of the leadership of churches under the All Africa Conference of Churches as major actors in influencing attitudes and behaviors of church adherents. Primary data was obtained using a census that was carried out in the entire 169 membership of the study population and 66 complete questionnaires were received. Secondary data was also acquired through reviews including the review of Forest Acts in 13 African Countries to help asses the level of compliance in relation to legislation. This data was analyzed and used to draw inferences and conclusions for this study. This research found out that although economic status at the micro-level have a direct impact on forest conservation efforts, this is not the case at the macro-level, as a countries economic indicators have no bearing on its conservation abilities. At the same time, many countries had strived to enact elaborate legislations for sustainable use of forests. However, levels of degradation have not been reduced by these efforts. This implies that it is not just economic and legal aspects that influence, there is also as issue of attitude and perception. Indeed, the study found out that environmental education was an important asset for environmental conservation. It denotes that for secure forests, both policy and local levels must be involved in the making of decisions. This research recommends the need for the church to re-examine its perception about humanity in relation to the rest of creation for sustainable development to be achieved.