Women Faith Leaders launch a new Women Faith and Climate Network and Commit to Radical Collaboration

November 20, 2024

A groundbreaking initiative – launched today at the Faith Pavilion in COP29 – bringing together women faith leaders to combat climate change was launched October 24th in Frascati, Italy. The new Women, Faith and Climate Network engages women-led climate action networks from diverse faiths and geographies. The network’s aim is to scale up the powerful reach and influence women of faith to go further, faster towards achieving climate goals. 

Key points:

• Fifty women leaders from 8 major faiths and 15 countries met to forge collaborations, and to launch the new Women, Faith and Climate network 

• The combined reach and influence of women of faith networks is enormous.        Participants estimated that their networks reach over 73 million people, including groups like Mothers’ Union, with over 4 million members in 83 countries, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and its 6 million women., Brahma Kumaris with 600,000 women members and UISG with its 600,000 Catholic sisters across the globe. 

• The initiative is unique in its diversity, and its focus on practical action and collaboration. It aims to increase the visibility of the vast ongoing women led practical climate action and grassroots and national level, scale up best practices, foster radical collaboration among diverse women of faith networks, and mobilize women of faith in support of mass mobilisations of women for climate action.

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• Notable participants included Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and co-founder of Project Dandelion, a women led global campaign for climate justice, and youth climate activist Ridhima Pandey. The group was granted an audience with His Holiness Pope Francis on Wednesday, 23 October.

• Leaders of diverse women faith networks, and allies included: Lorna Gold, Laudato Si’ movement; Alissa Qotrunnada Gusdurian Network; Azza Karam Lead-integrity; Daniel Swartz, Coalition for Environment and Jewish Life; Deborah Boudreaux Tzu Chi Foundation,; Husna Ahmad World Muslim Leadership Forum; Iyad Abumoghli, UNEP Faith for Earth; .Sr Maamalifar Poreku , Union of International Superiors General; Martha Jarvis ,Anglican Church; Meryne Warah,  Greenfaith; Amani Al Khatahtbeh, Muslim Girl.

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• The event was jointly convened by Wilton Park an executive agency of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office., the British Embassy to the Holy See, the Irish Embassy to the Holy See, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and the International Union of Superiors General, with support from UNEP Faith for Earth and Project Dandelion, and facilitated by Alison Hilliard, Senior Programme Director at Wilton Park

Mary Robinson invited the Women Faith and Climate group to join with Project Dandelion -her women led global climate justice campaign, as “Dandelions of Faith” . Her call to action : 

“You are here to draw on your power. 5.8 million people identify with faith- that’s 80 % of the world’s population. Faith can be the foundation of transformative change to tackle our climate and nature crisis…..Where women lead, action follows” 

• The next steps for the Women, Faith and Climate network: 

• Increase visibility of women led climate action though storytelling, mapping and communications 

• Expand partnerships and collaborations on greening houses of worship, renewable energy and tree planting 

• Combine forces for joint advocacy at key climate related events in 2025, including COP 30 

• Establish a coordinating mechanism for the Network to support connection , exchange and collaboration among members