The Green Church Showcase was launched in St George’s, Tron, in Glasgow, on Tuesday. The Showcase, a joint production by the Church of England’s environment programme and the Church Times, highlights seven projects from different denominations. Also speaking at the launch were Ruth Valerio, from Tearfund, and Richard Black, from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. “The Bible teaches us about care for creation, and has much to say about what it means to be fully human and part of a complex web of life. As Christians, we have something vital to contribute to reshaping our culture and, together, becoming a society that’s more community-minded and earth-aware.” Read more here – and watch a video
The Commonwealth Jewish Council presented a session, Are Religious Leaders Rising to the Climate Challenge? in the Science Show Theatre at COP 26 on 1 November 2021. The Commonwealth Jewish Council recognises that religion is one of the most potent and motivating forces in human society. Unfortunately, far too often the power of religious communities is overlooked in international affairs and only perceived as a source of trouble rather than idealistic action for the good of Humankind. This panel explored not only what religions have to say about the topic but, more importantly, what religions are doing and can do to improve the world on this front. Read more – and view the video here.
Faiths Together for Carbon Neutral Cities: an Interfaith Panel Discussion with Grassroots Leaders Faith for the Climate hosted a discussion panel at the COP26 Green Zone highlighting the work of our Capacity Building Group – a unique case study of the power of interfaith and intra-faith collaboration on climate action in cities and the built environment. Action on climate change is urgent, but it is also a new and confusing area for many people, who need an entry point to feel connected to the issue and to take ownership of their responses and contributions. Read more here – and view the video.
Global Day of Climate Action: (While this is not directly interfaith activity, it is spirituality: spirituality is that you take action). World leaders will meet in Glasgow in November at the global climate talks, COP26. The COP26Coalition are organising decentralised mass mobilisations across the world, bringing together movements to build power for system change – from indigenous struggles to trade unions, from racial justice groups to youth strikers. Global Day of Climate Action is November 6. The People’s Summit for Climate Justice will take place from November 7-10. Read more here.
Not all Cheese and Bikkies: After expensive and difficult journeys to Glasgow, many delegates are excluded from negotiating rooms and can only watch an unreliable webcast. Campaigners awarded the UK and UN organisers of Cop26 the ironic “fossil of the day” on Monday as frustrations boiled over at cost and logistical barriers to meaningful participation. Read about the frustrations of attendees here.
Digital Green Zone : Virtual exhibition Since the mid 90’s, Brahma Kumaris has become one of the key developers and promoters of renewable energies in India. With Indian and German government support it has carried out various research and development projects. The Brahma Kumaris World University are delighted to inform you that the Digital Green Zone is now live on Google Arts and Culture. Explore our Digital Green Zone and Virtual Exhibition to view the work of Brahma kumaris for Environment. Read more here
Art for Earth – Restoring Our Earth through Play – Now or Never Art and artists have a specific – vocation – one might say to hold up a mirror to society and reflect back to – society and culture – its hopes and joys, its sorrows and sufferings as well as its imaginations of what might be, what could be and what is. In all its beauty, in all its ugliness. In a fuller sense, art communicates to emotion, feeling and the depths of the mind, body and spirit to convey a message of who we are, what we are doing to our planet. Art for Earth will be released on Youtube on Sunday 7 November. You may read more here.
Leaders representing the five main faith groups from across the UK, including Bishop Olivia the Anglican Bishop of Reading, met at 10 Downing Street on 18 October 21, to demand bold and ambitious action on the climate crisis from Government, which is hosting the UN COP26 summit in two weeks. This interfaith presentation is a key milestone of practical action by faith groups that comes at a critical time for the climate, ahead of the UN COP26 climate negotiations in November. Read about this event.
UK Jews and Climate Change: What role does one’s Jewish identity play in attitudes towards climate change? How do we compare as a community to the rest of the UK on this issue? With the UN Climate Change COP26 Summit set to start in Glasgow, the Institute for Jewish Policy Research is publishing a first of its kind report, exploring these questions by detailing where UK Jewish people currently stand on the topic of climate change, and by examining the links between their attitudes on this topic and other factors such as their age, sex, education, political leaning and religiosity. Read more here
Resilience and sustainability are key issues for intergenerational justice and creating a future for all of humanity. Here, the Brahma Kumaris World University sponsor a press conference to discuss resilience in times of climate emergency. Speakers include Sister Jayanti, Addl. Admin Head of Brahma Kumaris, Golo Pilz, Energy Adviser Brahma Kumaris, Prof. Mark Lawrence, Scientific Director at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) Potsdam. Read more here
Buddhist Path to Carbon Neutrality: Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, with 55 years of experience in Humanitarian Aid and Assistance, has witnessed first-hand a worsening trend of tropical storms, droughts, famines, floods, and other climate-related disasters. At 1.2 C above preindustrial age, the devastating effects of climate change are very real, and each year grows worse and worse. Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation conducted a Press Conference on 2 November on the topic of Buddhist Path to Carbon Neutrality. Read more here
