Faith and Religious Leaders on Climate Change

Dalai Lama
"This is not a question of one nation or two nations. This is a question of humanity. Our world is our home...There's no other planet where we may move or shift." This echoes the rhetoric of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has often said that we lack a "planet B."
–Tibet Climate Action for the Roof of the World Video, October 2015.

Religion Matters

The Global Religious Landscape - Worldwide, more than eight-in-ten people identify with a religious group. A comprehensive demographic study of more than 230 countries and territories conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life estimates that there are 5.8 billion religiously affiliated adults and children around the globe, representing 84% of the 2010 world population of 6.9 billion, Pew Research Center, December 2012.

Faith Proclamations on the Environment & Ways to Get Involved

Christian

Catholic

Catholic Climate Covenant -
78 million Catholic people and 17,000 Catholic parishes in the United States are working together to fight climate change and protect the people we love.

Global Catholic Climate Movement - A movement of almost 100 Catholic organizations to care for God’s creation, for the poor–who are the most vulnerable to climate disruption–and for our children, who will face the worst impacts in the coming years.

Encyclical Letter Laudato Si' of the Holy Father Francis on the Care of Our Common Home - It is my hope that this Encyclical Letter, which is now added to the body of the Church’s social teaching, can help us to acknowledge the appeal, immensity and urgency of the challenge we face, Vatican, June 2015.

"Doomsday predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain. We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth. The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet’s capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes, such as those which even now periodically occur in different areas of the world. The effects of the present imbalance can only be reduced by our decisive action, here and now."
—Pope Francis, Encyclical, Laudato Si', June 2015

Episcopal

Eco-Justice Ministries
The Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church and Climate Change - The Episcopal Church is a powerful witness for addressing climate change at the local, national and international level. Our General Convention policy calls on lawmakers to significantly reduce carbon emissions within this century, to promote renewable energy technologies, and to financially support developing nations as they transition away from fossil fuels. Grounded in the understanding that environmental sustainability and economic poverty are inexorably linked, we strive to engage climate change mitigation and adaptation with a particular emphasis on the needs of vulnerable populations.

Evangelical

Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) - A ministry dedicated to the understanding that creation-care is a matter of Life.

Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action - Love of God, love of neighbor, and the demands of stewardship are more than enough reason for evangelical Christians to respond to the climate change problem with moral passion and concrete action, Academy of Evangelical Scientists and Ethicists, February 2006.

Presbyterian

The Power to Change: U.S. Energy Policy and Global Warming - Energy choices, more than ever, are moral choices. As our planet grows warmer, our Christian witness must become bolder. As individuals, families, congregations, and church administrative bodies, we must become the change we want to see in our nation. We must put our own houses in order even as we call on our nation to accept its moral responsibility with regard to energy policy and climate change. Together we must radically reduce our carbon footprint, (Policy Brief), approved by the 218th General Assembly (2008) Of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

"Together with people all around the world, Christians at the outset of the 21st century must respond to this climate crisis by developing a new way of living in harmony with Earth’s energy resources and in solidarity with all of God’s creatures. This moral obligation involves our commitment to the poor and marginalized among the present generation, but it especially includes our responsibilities to future generations. Actions taken or not taken today will impact the welfare of the planet for centuries to come."
–The Power to Change: U.S. Energy Policy and Global Warming, 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Southern Baptist

Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative (SBECI), an independent coalition of Southern Baptists who are passionate about caring for God's creation.

Southern Baptist Declaration on the Environment and Climate Change - We believe our current denominational engagement with these issues have often been too timid, failing to produce a unified moral voice. Our cautious response to these issues in the face of mounting evidence may be seen by the world as uncaring, reckless and ill-informed. We can do better. Therefore, we offer these statements for consideration, beginning with our fellow Southern Baptists, and urge all to follow by taking appropriate actions, Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative (SBECI), March 2008.

United Church of Christ

United Church of Christ Statements on the Environment - The United Church of Christ (UCC) has a long history of support for environmental stewardship and justice. Nearly 30 years ago, a report commissioned by the UCC, Toxic Waste and Race, put faith leadership at the forefront of the movement that would bring a powerful racial justice component to the fight for a clean environment.

United Methodist Church

United Methodist Church on Global Climate Stewardship (160.D) - We acknowledge the global impact of humanity’s disregard for God’s creation. Rampant industrialization and the corresponding increase in the use of fossil fuels have led to a buildup of pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere. These “greenhouse gas” emissions threaten to alter dramatically the earth’s climate for generations to come with severe environmental, economic, and social implications. The adverse impacts of global climate change disproportionately affect individuals and nations least responsible for the emissions. We therefore support efforts of all governments to require mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and call on individuals, congregations, businesses, industries, and communities to reduce their emissions, United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society.

Additional Christian Resources

Climate Change: A Faithful & Moral Call to Conscience - Friends Committee on National Legislation
Climate Justice and the Moral Obligations to God's Creation - Franciscan Action Network
Environmental Stewardship and Conservation - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Mennonite Creation Care Network
Orthodox Bishops' pastoral letter on climate change - Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the U.S.A.
Global Warming/Climate Change - An environmental justice issue, Unitarian Universalist Association

Jewish

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) - Deepens and broadens the Jewish community’s commitment to stewardship and protection of the Earth through outreach, activism and Jewish learning.

Rabbinic Letter on Climate -Torah, Pope, & Crisis Inspire 425+ Rabbis to Call for Vigorous Climate Action - The worsening inequality of wealth, income, and political power has two direct impacts on the climate crisis. On the one hand, great Carbon Corporations not only make their enormous profits from wounding the Earth, but then use these profits to purchase elections and to fund fake science to prevent the public from acting to heal the wounds. On the other hand, the poor in America and around the globe are the first and the worst to suffer from the typhoons, floods, droughts, and diseases brought on by climate chaos. The Rabbinic Letter was initiated by seven leading rabbis from a broad spectrum of American Jewish life, The Shalom Center, October 2015.
Union for Reform Judaism | Jewish Climate Campaign | The Shalom Center

Islamic

Islamic Circle of North America - A leading grassroots organization in the American Muslim community.

Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change - Excessive pollution from fossil fuels threatens to destroy the gifts bestowed on us by God, whom we know as Allah – gifts such as a functioning climate, healthy air to breathe, regular seasons, and living oceans. But our attitude to these gifts has been short-sighted, and we have abused them. What will future generations say of us, who leave them a degraded planet as our legacy? How will we face our Lord and Creator?, International Islamic Climate Change Symposium, Istanbul, August 2015.

Hindu

Hindu Declaration on Climate Change - Mahatma Gandhi urged, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” If alive today, he would call upon Hindus to set the example, to change our lifestyle, to simplify our needs and restrain our desires. As one sixth of the human family, Hindus can have a tremendous impact. We can and should take the lead in Earth-friendly living, personal frugality, lower power consumption, alternative energy, sustainable food production and vegetarianism, as well as in evolving technologies that positively address our shared plight. Hindus recognize that it may be too late to avert drastic climate change. Thus, in the spirit of vasudhaiva kutumbakam, “the whole world is one family,” Hindus encourage the world to be prepared to respond with compassion to such calamitous challenges as population displacement, food and water shortage, catastrophic weather and rampant disease. Presented for Consideration to the Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders Parliament of the World’s Religions, Melbourne, Australia, December 2009.

Buddhist

COP21: His Holiness the Dalai Lama's message - His Holiness the Dalai Lama is sounding the warning bell for the health of the planet. We need a groundswell of support for climate action for the Roof of the World as world leaders gather in Paris, Mashable, October 2015.

Conscientious Compassion - Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi outlines the Buddhist contribution on climate change, social justice, and saving the world, OurVoices, August 2015.

The Moral Tide Of Our Age - Buddhist Spiritual Ambassador Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi shares a response to Pope Francis' encyclical on climate change, OurVoices, June 2015.