Faith, Environment and Climate Change

It is increasingly recognised that faith leaders and faith-based organizations (FBOs) can be, and have already been, essential contributors towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the attainment of Agenda 2030. Nonetheless, to scale-up this potential, there is need for greater synergies between FBOs and other stakeholders, such as policymakers, NGOs, multilateral institutions, government agencies etc. FBOs also need guidance on how they can strategically engage with the SDGs to measure and evaluate their valuable contributions towards the broader global agenda and SDG progress on the ground.

Engaging with faith actors is essential for mobilising the tremendous power they hold in engaging masses of people. Whilst FBOs have long been engaged in areas such as humanitarian assistance, education and healthcare, they have less experience in environmentally-focused work, climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Nonetheless, there is a wealth of inspiration to be derived from religious texts and teachings as all religions call upon their adherents to care for nature. Therefore, it is essential to connect environmental issues with sacred texts and teachings, whilst providing faith actors with the scientific knowledge to guide their climate action. This will enable faith leaders to engage with their communities in explaining their collective and individual roles in the implementation of the SDGs. Simultaneously, it is essential that perceived faith-secular/science bridges are overcome and that new partnerships are forged between relevant stakeholders and actors for mutual benefit. 

This is crucial, as globally, as of late 2020, we are not on track to achieve the SDGs and doing so requires the engagement from the full spectrum of society. Given that over 80% of the world population is affiliated with a religion or faith, faith actors will be essential moving forward and can play an invaluable part in building a more sustainable future.

The modules of this course were designed in partnership with KAICIID and UNEP.

The e-learning course is comprised of eight modules, which will be given in a moderated environment over an eight-week period. Each module will focus on a different thematic topic that correlates to priority areas that UNEP is working in. The module will introduce the particular issue, the challenges associated with addressing it and focus on the tangible contributions that faith actors can make in providing or assisting solutions. Case studies and examples will be used throughout to demonstrate the added value of engaging with faith actors and serve as inspiration, both for faith actors and for organizations working in related fields to partner with faith actors. The SDGs and Agenda 30 will serve as the overarching framework that such work must be aligned to. The first module will act as an introductory overview with the subsequent modules focusing on various dimensions and components of the planetary crisis.

The eight modules are:

Week 1, Module 1:  Faith for Earth: A Time for Action

Week 2, Module 2:  Faith for Earth and Climate Change

Week 3, Module 3:  Faith for Earth and Water

Week 4, Module 4:  Faith for Earth and Ecosystems Restoration

Week 5, Module 5:  Faith for Earth and Financing for Sustainable Development

Week 6, Module 6:  Faith for Earth and Environmental Governance

Week 7, Module 7:  Faith for Earth and Environmental Security (NBS)

Week 8, Module 8:  Faith for Earth and Sustainable Lifestyles

At the end of the course participants will:

1) Be aware of the strategic focus of UNEP, as well as the broader UN system, and learn how they can contribute to the attainment of the SDGs. They will learn how to relate their activities to the goals and targets of the SDGs, and/or how to implement initiatives using this framework.

2) Have gained a broad understanding of the different dimensions of climate change and environmental challenges and related mitigation and adaptation strategies. Even if participant organizations do not explicitly focus on addressing certain thematic areas, given the extensive scope of the different modules, they will still gain valuable insights.

3) Be aware of the value of engaging with faith actors in climate action given the added value they bring and vice versa for those coming from a faith perspective.

A Certificate of Completion will be issued to participants who achieve a minimum total score of 70% and who complete all the mandatory activities.