Did you know that faith-based organizations control 8 per cent of the Earth’s habitable land, 5 per cent of commercial forests and 10 per cent of financial institutions?
Well, they do, which gives them a potentially outsized role in the battle to combat poverty, reverse environmental degradation and limit climate change, say experts.
“The potential aggregate impact of faith-based organizations on sustainable development is immense,” says Iyad Abumoghli, director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Faith for Earth initiative.
To highlight this impact, UNEP in collaboration with the Parliament of World’s Religions, United Religions Initiative and Bhumi Global, recently published a report titled Faith Action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Progress and Outlook.
The report cites numerous examples of how faith-based organizations are helping to safeguard the environment and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Here are five of them.
“The potential aggregate impact of faith-based organizations on sustainable development is immense.”
- Sixteen congregations of Dominican Sisters across the United States have provided $46 million in seed capital for an investment fund that focuses on providing access to clean energy in India and Sub-Saharan Africa. The project highlights the power and wealth of religions and their contribution to financing sustainable development, the report says.
- Huarango, a species of mesquite tree, is well adapted to surviving in the arid climate of southeastern Peru. Utilized extensively by pre-Columbian cultures, huarango forests have largely been cut down, but are still important for traditional agriculture on the Peruvian coast. Huarango forests provide farmers and animals with necessary shade, and the leaves feed livestock. A Rocha Peru, a Christian faith organization, has planted 26,000 Huarango and other native trees over three years, in conjunction with landowners who manage the new forests. The organization is now extending the project to other regions in Peru.
- Vardayini Mata Temple in Maharashtra, India, sits next to one of several sanctuaries for the endangered mahseer fish. These sanctuaries have conserved the fish as well as stretches of river that remain undammed. (The primary reason for the collapse of the mahseer fishery is dam construction.) Though they have received limited support from the conservation community, for Hindu devotees these fish are sacred.
- Sikh groups around the world have united to fight climate change by committing to plant 1 million trees in 1,820 different locations globally by November. The project honors the 550th birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Ecosikh, which strives to connect Sikh values with solutions to environmental issues, spearheaded the project. Their goal is to increase reforestation, decrease air pollution and encourage people to reconnect with nature. Sikhs in Punjab, India have already planted tens of thousands of trees.
- In 2017, Shiloh Temple in Minneapolis in the United States of America installed a community solar garden on its rooftop. The 630-panel array provides energy to the temple, a neighboring mosque and 29 residences. Community solar is starting to become popular with faith-based organizations as a way of bringing renewable energy to low-income communities. In this case, the report says, it’s also helping to build interfaith solidarity and understanding.
The new report will be presented at the Faith Action for Nature conference in Iceland. The event, which will be online and run from 5-8 October, aims to mobilize religious denominations in support of the Faith for Earth Coalition.
Nature is in crisis, threatened by biodiversity and habitat loss, global heating and toxic pollution. Failure to act is failing humanity. Addressing the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and protecting ourselves against future global threats requires sound management of hazardous medical and chemical waste; strong and global stewardship of nature and biodiversity; and a clear commitment to “building back better”, creating green jobs and facilitating the transition to carbon-neutral economies. Humanity depends on action now for a resilient and sustainable future.
For more information, please contact Iyad Abumoghli: Iyad.Abumoghli@un.org
