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English judge equates 'green ideology' with religion for legal purposes
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Some opponents of "green" ideology will not be surprised by a comparison made between the way of life advocated by Al Gore and organized religion by an English judge.
Justice Michael Burton ruled that environmentalism can be considered "religious and philosophical" for purposes of interpreting that nation's religious rights laws. Tim Nicholson, a 42-year-old executive in Oxford said his convictions were so strong that he could not travel by air and had remodeled his house to be environmentally friendly according to a report in the Telegraph newspaper.
"A belief in man-made climate change ... is capable, if genuinely held, of being a philosophical belief for the purpose of the 2003 Religion and Belief Regulations," the judge said. The ruling could lead to employees suing their employers for failing to make allowances for green lifestyles like recycling and low-carbon travel options.
Nicholson, let go as head of sustainability at Grainger plc, claimed he was "made redundant" (laid off) in July 2008 as a result of his "philosophical belief about climate change and the environment." Another judge had ruled last March that Nicholson could sue his former employer based on his claim.
His former company challenged the ruling, saying "green views" are political and scientific rather than religious or philosophical.
A claim that "philosophy deals with matters that are not capable of scientific proof" and therefore "scientific rather than philosophical" by the company's solicitor was subsequently dismissed by Justice Burton who had earlier ruled that Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" was political and partisan.
The decision, the Telegraph report says, is important mainly because it "a precedent for how environmental beliefs are regarded in English law."
Nicholson was quoted as claiming "I believe man-made climate change is the most important issue of our time and nothing should stand in the way of diverting this catastrophe."
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