This is a presentation that I gave at Green Drinks Hong Kong. Hope you enjoy it and that it gives you something to think about. Looking at climate change from a new perspective.
1. Climate & Faith Comunicación y Gerencia Green Drinks - 14 July 2010
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4. Many Heavens, One Earth “ We are partners in God's creative enterprise, called to 'renew the face of the earth‘… the messianic banquet that can be shared by all the inhabitants of the earth.” Revelation 22:1-3. “ It is He who has appointed you guardians on the earth…” Qu’ran “ Man is organic with the world. His inner life molds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it.” – Baha’i Writings “… give thanks to the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.” Deuteronomy 8:10 “ Nature we observe with awe, wonder and joy… nature in the whole creation… All nature is yours, O powerful Creator.” Guru Nanak “ The earth is our mother, and we are all her children” Hindu dictum
8. The Green Faithful “ Your potential impact is enormous. You are the leaders who can have the longest, widest and deepest reach."
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Editor's Notes
I’ve worked in environmental field for a long time, studied environmental science in my undergrad, did a masters degree in environmental studies, worked for environmental consulting firms, governmental and non-governmental environmental organisations in Canada, Africa and Asia. During all that time, I didn’t encounter the topic of climate and faith until an event in Toronto Canada in 2002 – describe the event – mosque, David Suzuki, intriguing. What do we mean by Climate and Faith? What I mean is looking at climate change issues through a religious prism and hopefully addressing the issues in constructive ways. Introduce how I’m a non-practising Catholic and have been somewhat skeptical about my religion all of my life despite or maybe because I went to an all girls’ Catholic school taught by nuns! The sex scandals with the church. Researching this has allowed me to see how religion can be a positive influence and allowed me to really get back to the basics of religion.
The world’s third largest group of investors are the 11 faiths in ARC own seven percent of the habitable surface of the planet, and if they invested together, would be the world’s third largest identifiable block of holders of stocks and shares. They are Bahai, Buddhists, Christians, Daoists, Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Jews, Shintos, Sikhs, and Zorastrians. Imagine if they invested consciously together with the environment in mind. Faith based investing dates back to 18 th century Quakers’ refusal to invest in tobacco and the slave trade. Demand for kosher funds in Israel is on the rise. The first ones launched about 10 years ago and now contain an estimated $263 million. Sharia-compliant Islamic finance is booming, with some $950 billion invested, up from $800 billion in 2008. Value and values are no longer contradictory – a quote from EIRIS a London-based ethical research group. Sources: first is from Alliance of Religion and Conservation (ARC), second is from Newsweek, May 17 2010 Asia edition.
Through many different traditions, faith represents a means of interpreting and understanding the world; influencing the decisions we make and the actions we take. Because of this influence, faith-based approaches to engaging with climate change provide a powerful means of mobilising constructive responses. This approach also implicitly recognises individual or societal action on climate change is influenced by ethical as well as political/economic forces; in order to address climate change, solutions need to take account of values. For more than half of the world’s people, those values are shaped by faith. Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/03/ban-ki-moon-religious-climate-change
Guru Nanak – founder of Sikhism
Of course this is a play on the phrase: What would Jesus do? Other environmental versions that have cropped up include What would Jesus drive? What would Jesus eat? "Different people have credibility with different segments of the population," said Lindsey Moseley, the group's Washington representative. "The oil spill is ultimately a matter of values, which for many people are rooted in deeply held religious beliefs." "Very few of the world's religions were making any statements about the environment 20 years ago, and now virtually all of them have," said Mary Evelyn Tucker, a historian of religion and founder of Yale University's Forum on Religion and Ecology. "The challenge is to put them into practice." In Louisiana, where loyalty to the oil and gas industry remains strong, opposition to fossil fuels sometimes doesn't go over well. "God put the oil there. He put it there for us to take dominion over and use responsibly," said Gene Mills, director of the Louisiana Family Forum.
Show the video. Introduce Rachael. Rachael speaks List the organisations who are already doing stuff – ARC – UK based - ARC itself is a secular organisation, and they have colleagues of all faiths as well as of none. Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life – Protecting Creation, Generation to Generation – US based Regeneration Project - The Regeneration Project is a community of friends who take seriously Jesus' commitment to the city. We are a group of ordinary people who are committed to making extraordinary difference in the life and future of our community....and that includes environmental work – UK based Hazon - Hazon works to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community and a healthier and more sustainable world for all. – US based
To date, more than 30 faith action plans on the environment have been created, and all were launched at the Windsor Event - Many Heavens, One Earth: Faith Commitments for a Living Planet last November 2-4. British Council was involved in that with the Alliance of Religion and Conservation. They include all of the major religions including Buddhists, Daoists, Baha’is, Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, Zoroastrians, Jainism, Judaism, Shintoism, and Muslims. In addition, the Cambodian Buddhists, Mongolian Buddhists, Maronite Church in Lebanon, Orthodox Church in Russia, Scottish Eco-Congregations and CAFOD committed to creating their own long term commitments by the end of 2010. See below for further commitments and partnerships emerging after Windsor.
Ban Ki-Moon speaking to religious leaders at climate change summit at Windsor Castle last November. British Council was involved in that summit. Through many different traditions, faith represents a means of interpreting and understanding the world; influencing the decisions we make and the actions we take. Because of this influence, faith-based approaches to engaging with climate change provide a powerful means of mobilising constructive responses. This approach also implicitly recognises individual or societal action on climate change is influenced by ethical as well as political/economic forces; in order to address climate change, solutions need to take account of values. For more than half of the world’s people, those values are shaped by faith. WHAT CAN YOU DO? If you belong to a religion, ask your clergy if any environmental projects are taking place and if not, then suggest to them some ideas. If you belong to an environmental group or work in one, ask the staff whether they thought about reaching faith communities and helping them to implement environmental projects or at the least, make them aware of this linkage. Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/03/ban-ki-moon-religious-climate-change
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