Firstly, the article was about energy efficiency, and I don't know what's so bad about being more energy efficient. Should we go back to the ways of the industrial revolution? Think of the carbon emmisions from back then...it's going to be a lot harder to breathe.
Secondly, the world can't literally "burn up" due to climate change. Or it will take a very, very, VERY long time, as the Earth naturally goes through cycles of warmer and cooler global temperatures. We are currently in one of it's warmer phases, but we are definitely contributing to the steeper temperature increase. While the average global temperature is rising, it is not at too quickly of a pace that humans will be unable to adjust to. And, in fact, there are a few small regions where the average temperature is slowly dropping. (That's why the term "global warming" is a bit of a misnomer.)
The dangers of climate change isn't as much to the Earth itself as it is to the inhabitants. The Earth is very resilient, and will survive and renew itself in almost any situation we throw at it. However, the creatures on the Earth are much more fragile. Humans face an increase in cancers partially due to the excess of UV light slipping past our depleting ozone layer. There are higher rates of asthma and other breathing problems because of how much gaseous waste we allow to drift into the atmosphere. And some low lying areas won't be burning up, but conversely, be engulfed in water as sea levels rise, causing entire populations of people to have to relocate. Already crowded areas become more even more crowded, diseases spread faster...not a pretty picture.
Looking at those situations, I'd rather be a steward of the Earth God has placed us on, and work toward combating these issues. The escalating situation of the Earth may all a part of God's plan, but He also calls us to reach out to the least of these. Being passive about the effects of climate change is not showing compassion and love for thy neighbor, as millions will be negatively affected by a problem that we could, over time, lessen the impact of.
And I believe that Jesus said the Earth will be destroyed by fire, which sounds like a much different "burning up" than that that might happen due to climate change. But interpret that as you will.
In Christ,
River
