As church leaders throughout Britain put the final flourishes on their Christmas messages this morning, a Welsh Christian figurehead is focussing on the practical side of the gospel message of hope - respect for creation through recycling.

Churches have welcomed the final political consensus reached at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia but are urging national governments to show greater leadership to save the planet from the destructive force of global warming.

“A road map missing a vital signpost”, was how aid agency Tearfund described the global deal on climate change struck at the UN conference in Bali on Saturday, with the US being accused of 'stalling tactics'.

The fight against climate change has been marked by broken promises and missed opportunities, say three European bishops in a letter to political leaders gathered at the United Nations-led talks on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Optimism emerged during early sessions of the UN climate talks in Bali this week when Australia promised to ratify the Kyoto Protocol as soon as possible, leaving the USA as the only large developed nation outside the global framework.

Christian Aid will push for a follow-on agreement to the Kyoto Protocol to include large-scale financial support for developing nations from the rich industrialised world at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali starting tomorrow.

While environment and development groups are generally dissatisfied with the outcome of the G8 summit this week, the pledge to launch climate negotiations in Bali in December 2007 and complete them in 2009 has been welcomed by Christian Aid.