‎Many people have heard or even repeated the popular claim that because God gave mankind dominion over the earth, humans are free to consume anything they find in nature.

‎However, the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Professor Edward Wiafe Debrah, says this widely held belief was a misconception that has contributed to the destruction of the environment and the depletion of natural resources.

‎Speaking on the relationship between religion, science and environmental conservation, Prof. Debrah explained to The Spectator in an exclusive interview that many Christians often cited Genesis 1:28, where God blessed humanity and instructed them to “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and every living thing that moves on the earth.”

‎According to him, the verse had been wrongly interpreted to mean that people have unrestricted permission to consume every animal and natural resource on earth.

‎”The Bible did not ask mankind to destroy or exhaust creation. Dominion is about responsible leadership and stewardship, not exploitation,” he stressed.

‎He said God entrusted creation to humanity with the expectation that it would be managed wisely and preserved for future generations.

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‎”Stewardship means nurturing what has been entrusted to you and being accountable to the Master one day. We must, therefore, use our natural resources wisely rather than consume everything without replacement,” he said.

‎Prof. Debrah pointed out that another misconception among some Christians was the belief that since the Bible spoke about the end of the world, there was little need to conserve the environment because no one knows when the earth would end.

‎He described this thinking as dangerous, explaining that no one knows when the end would come and, therefore, humanity had a responsibility to care for creation while it existed.

‎He also challenged the belief that animals cannot become extinct simply because human beings continue to exist despite people dying every day.

‎Drawing a distinction between human populations and wildlife, he explained that many animal species could disappear permanently if they were harvested without limits or conservation measures.

‎He cited indiscriminate hunting as an example, saying many hunters entered forests and killed whatever animals they found without considering whether the populations were sufficient to sustain future generations.

‎”If we continue consuming resources without strategic plans for replacement and conservation, we will eventually lose them,” he cautioned.

‎Prof. Debrah urged society to combine scientific knowledge with religious and cultural beliefs instead of relying solely on religious interpretations to address environmental challenges.

‎”We have to read and understand the Bible well while applying science to our culture and religion. Religious beliefs alone cannot solve all our environmental problems,” he stated.

‎He emphasised that biodiversity remained essential to human survival, noting that healthy ecosystems improve food quality, reduce diseases and help clean the air through trees that absorb carbon dioxide and other harmful gases.

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‎Touching on agriculture, Prof. Debrah encouraged farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices that protect beneficial insects, especially bees, which naturally pollinate crops.

‎He mentioned that attempts at artificial pollination have proved costly, making natural pollination by insects a more practical and sustainable option.

‎”The irony is that we spray insecticides to kill every insect on our farms, including those that are beneficial. If we reduce indiscriminate use of insecticides, nature will regulate itself through the food chain, ensuring healthy ecosystems and improved crop production,” he said.

‎Prof. Debrah, therefore, appealed to the public to recognise that caring for nature was not contrary to faith but rather an important responsibility entrusted to humanity.

‎”The earth and its resources are gifts from God. Our responsibility is not to exhaust them but to protect and manage them wisely for ourselves and generations yet unborn,” he added.

By Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua