Faith is an important part of the Climate Institute’s perspective on climate change. Religion, spirituality and faith provide an ethical and values based foundation to motivate actions for a better environment and a sustainable future. The Climate Institute’s activities draw from close connections in many community and faith groups, and reflect concerns of these groups as well as their aspirations to create a more harmonious planet.

Faith communities also represent a large proportion of Australia’s population—communities who are becoming increasingly aware of the connection between their core teachings of caring for the planet and taking responsible action for its future.

This perspective ties into areas of social justice where countries least responsible for the causes of climate change have become the ones to receive its earliest and most severe impacts. Through an attitude of joint custodianship of an abundant planet, faith guides adherents to wisely preserve its resources for future generations.

The Climate Institute has worked closely with faith communities in Australia for several years. In 2006, we approached them to provide moral, ethical and spiritual reasons for why we should take action on climate change. The result was a booklet called “Common Belief” which brought 16 different faith traditions together, including Aboriginal people, Baha’i believers, Buddhists, various Christian denominations and groups, Hindus, Jewish people, Muslims and Sikhs. The booklet proved to be one of the most popular documents The Climate Institute has produced. With this realisation that Australia was looking for religious leadership on climate change issues, The Climate Institute provided the initial funding to establish an autonomous multi-faith climate network.

In 2008, such a network was born—the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC). It aims to provide educational, practical and campaigning resources to faith communities to respond to climate change and lead by example with environmentally sustainable practices. ARRCC has now grown up as an organization, sponsored by the Climate Institute, and while we no longer have a Faith Project Officer, we maintain strong links with ARRCC and faith communities across Australia.

^{Interfaith Religious Leaders during meetings with politicians at Parliament House}

^{(photo courtesy of G O'Donnell)}