Catholics Heed Call to Plant Trees for Earth Day

The new juniper tree at Light of Hearts Villa, in Bedford, Ohio, offers its nearly 100 residents another scenic outpost in the landscape that often draws deer, fox and recently, a peregrine falcon.

The tree was planted as part of the assisted-living community's Earth Day celebration on Thursday. Some of the 25 residents in attendance braved the weather with umbrellas to partake in the prayer and planting outside, while others watched from drier conditions inside.

Appeal to the leaders and representatives of Indigenous Peoples and faith communities – Storforsen, Sweden

Introduction

Meeting on Sami Territory in Sweden, October 5-8 2015, we–participants attending the conference on the Future of Life in the Arctic: The Impact of Climate Change. Indigenous and Religious Perspectives–appeal to the leaders and representatives of Indigenous Peoples and faith communities to call on your fellow citizens; your public representatives; your delegates to the Paris Climate Conference; Mary Robinson, United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Climate Change; and Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to take brave action and make bold decisions on promoting climate justice.

On Earth Day, Pope Francis calls all ‘to see the world through the eyes of God the Creator’

See the world through the eyes of the Creator, Pope Francis said at the end of his general audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, marking Earth Day.

“I exhort everyone to see the world through the eyes of God the Creator: the earth is an environment to be safeguarded, a garden to be cultivated,” he said.
“The relationship of mankind with nature must not be conducted with greed, manipulation and exploitation, but it must conserve the divine harmony that exists between creatures and Creation within the logic of respect and care, so it can be put to the service of our brothers, also of future generations,” the pope said.

Earth Day 2016 letter from Anglican and Lutheran leaders

Dear friends in Christ:

As we observe Earth Day on April 22, we commend to you the Storforsen Appeal, the statement from the conference The Future of Life in the Arctic: The Impact of Climate Change. Indigenous and Religious Perspectives held on Sami Territory in Sweden in 2015.

Earth Day Faith Celebrations

Earth Day is a movement that has given voice to an emerging consciousness of the unity of creation and the 'new creation' that is the resurrection of Jesus. The mutual love between God and God's people calls us to love and care for one another and all of creation.

Interfaith Power and Light is hosting Faith Climate Action Week, April 15-24. The nine-day national initiative surrounding Earth Day (April 22) connects, inspires and motivates climate action within faith communities across the U.S., offering a plethora of tools, tips, and guides for revamping or starting your faith-based climate program.

Church of England Continues with its Doomed Exxon Engagement Strategy

In 2015 the Church of England (C of E) formally adopted a climate and ethical investment policy. Recently Exxon tried to kill a motion supported by the C of E calling for transparency on climate resilience. The SEC has ruled that the vote can go forward. If the past is any indication of the present it is very unlikely to pass. In 2014 Exxon responded to the climate concerns of shareholders by saying that the company does not believe governments would impose policies that would severely limit emissions so sharply because oil and gas are so critical to global development and economic growth. Given the track record of Exxon and other fossil fuel companies pessimism is warranted. While the new C of E investment policy calls for engagement, divestment is an option when engagement is deemed unproductive.

Support the Interfaith Climate Change Statement

The Interfaith Climate Change Statement (2016) outlines religious leaders and faith communities positive judgement of the adopted Paris Agreement and urges for its prompt signature and ratification by governments so that it can come into force as soon as possible. It also insists that there is a significant increase in the current levels of ambition relating to emission reductions, financial flows, adaptation, loss and damage and a swift phase out of fossil fuel subsidies - so as to keep temperatures within reach of 1.5C.