On April 23rd, 2019, JLI held a webinar on faith-based climate programs. This is the first webinar of a four part series that is structured around the domains in which JLI aims to draw from and have an impact: practice, policy, and academia.
The webinar was convened by Dr. Olivia Wilkinson, JLI Director of Research
Speakers:
Gopal Patel: Director of the Bhumi Project, a joint-initiative of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and GreenFaith
- Presentation: Rise to Shine: The role of Indian Religious Institutions in Closing the Energy
Access Gap [0.30 -17.00] - Learn about a survey of 30 faith organisations in India to map current work and programs on renewable energy and partnerships
Chantal Elkin: Director of the Wildlife Programme at the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC)
- Presentation: Islamic Approaches to Conservation in Indonesia (17.00 -36.00]
- Overview Indonesia’s work with Muslim Leaders and climate change especially with the national Islamic authority (MUI) which is made of 800,000 mosques and 80,000 Islamic schools work. Current work through training and increasing the knowledge of local leaders in conservation issues and fatwas.
Stephen Tasker: Country Director, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Solomon Islands
- Presentation: Model Community Development Program: Working with a local faith community on climate change adaptation in the context of a model community development program [36.00]
- Case study on the South Sea Evangelical Church integrated development programme to reduce climate change in the Solomon Islands.
Background
In October 2018, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published a special report on Global Warming of 1.5˚C, which is predicted by 2030-2052 which is predicted by 2030-2052. This warming will cause sea level rise, drought, and other effects that will have impacts on people worldwide. The effects will be even more severe if there is global warming of 2˚C. There is an urgent need to curb anthropogenic emissions that are causing these long-lasting effects on the earth’s climate system.
Local faith communities are already heavily impacted by climate change. They are also increasingly involved in the action on climate change, bringing religious motivations to understandings of stewardship and care for our planet. Faith-based NGOs are working to mitigate climate change, help climate change adaptation in communities, and mobilize and faith communities towards advocacy for change, as well as implementing climate-sensitive ways of operating in their humanitarian and development operations. Yet much remains to be done in the humanitarian and development fields where the climate is frequently acknowledged as one of the most pressing issues of our time but little has changed from the status quo.
JLI is an international collaboration committed to convening academics, practitioners, and policymakers to examine the research and evidence on the role of religion in humanitarian and development aid. In the past year, many members have asked us to consider topics such as climate change, climate justice, the environment, and ecology as future interests for a possible Learning Hub.
We recognize that there is already a lot of work and research in the area of faith and climate. We believe that the JLI’s convening mechanisms can offer added value by focusing in on the specific intersections of climate, faith-based international humanitarian and development work, and a focus on research and evidence.