Religious Australians are pushing for climate action, and want church leaders and politicians to get on board: Most religions believe the universe and everything in it is a creation of God or gods, and most demand that we nurture God’s creation. So for many religious people in Australia today – particularly among younger generations – it makes sense for religious leaders to encourage care for the environment. Read more
Brazil sets ‘worrying’ new Amazon deforestation record: Brazilian Amazon sees 64 percent jump in deforestation in first three months of 2022 compared with a year earlier. Read more
A Warming Arctic is a Warning for the World: The Arctic is warming at a faster rate than other regions in the world and summer sea ice could disappear entirely as early as 2035. The decline in sea ice is causing changes in atmospheric circulation patterns-resulting in more extreme temperature fluctuations around the world-while increasing potential for more militarization, commercial shipping, tourism, and oil and gas drilling in one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems. Cooperation among Arctic states is needed more than ever to ensure the Arctic, its inhabitants, and their way of life survive. Read more
Worship Resources for International Mother Earth Day service In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 22 April as International Mother Earth Day. In so doing, Member States acknowledged that the Earth and its ecosystems are our common home, and expressed their conviction that it is necessary to promote Harmony with Nature in order to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations. Read more
Faith leaders make the moral case for a global just transition away from coal, oil and gas: The Fossil Fuel Treaty Organisation has created a petition for faith leaders – and spiritual people, devotees, religious adherents – to sign, endorsing the best available science as outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Environment Programme – calling for a global treaty to phase out fossil fuels and support a just transition powered by clean energy and a sustainable future for all. Read more
How to Celebrate a Creation Conscious Easter: So how can families and parish groups celebrate a creation-conscious Easter this year? A good way to start is with hands in the earth, planting seeds, says Marie Dennis, former co-president of Pax Christi International. Read more
Eco-Spirituality: An Invitation In the busyness of Earth Month actions, events, and the rest of our lives, it can be easy to forget to spend time with creation as a part of creation. And so, here are a few ideas to help you get outside and spend intentional time being filled by the beauty of flora, fauna, and creatures great and small. Read more
Letter to the Editor:Centuries ago, Chaco was a ceremonial and economic center where Native people built magnificent great houses, astronomical observation sites, and ceremonial kivas. These areas continue to be places of prayer and pilgrimage for various Pueblo and Tribal communities today. The Bishop of the Episcopalian Diocese of the Rio Grande writes a letter to protect Chaya Canyon and a ten mile radius around the canyon. Read more
The Environment of Faith – A missed opportunity? For those curious to discover climate and justice in a Christian voice, through our traditions of worship, reflection and politics look no further than Pope Francis. His encyclical Laudato Si’ is arguably the most influential and most discussed creation text for the present moment. Taking the name of Francis for his papacy, the Pope lives and breathes the spirit of the medieval St. Francis whose critique of Church structure and belief morphed into practices and traditions celebrating creation, helping us find our rightful place within it. Read more
Love and Respect the Earth: ?Multi-Religious Collaboration to Address the Climate Crisis? Religions for Peace in partnership with the City of Manresa, Spain, will be hosting a hybrid event to celebrate #EarthDay. “Love and Respect the Earth: Multi-Religious Collaboration to Address the Climate Crisis” will take place on 21 April, 2022. Read more
Our Solutions lie in Nature: Our solutions are in nature; “Without nature’s help, we cannot thrive or even survive on this planet Earth,” says UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Read more
American Climate Leadership Awards – Replication Guides: American Climate Leadership Awards top 10 finalists Replication Guides offer a successful and stepwise model for you to replicate in your community. Several faith bodies have won awards, inspiring others to action. Read more
Australia: Latest IPCC report is ‘a call to put faith into action’: Thea Ormerod is the President of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change. In this article, she provides readers with a basic summary of the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (AR6), which was released on 28 February 2022. Yes, the report paints a frightening picture, Omerod acknowledges. But, Omerod argues, just as they did with the COVID threat, people in faith communities should consider it as a call to not hide from the truth, and to replace fear with courage and compassion. Read more
99% of Humans Breathe Unhealthy Air, Latest WHO Data Shows: Almost everyone on Earth breathes unhealthy air. That’s the alarming conclusion from the latest update of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality database, which drew on data from more than 6,000 cities in 117 countries. The organization argued that the figures were another argument in favor of phasing out the use of fossil fuels. Read more
Tags: Updates #39
