Two years after Pope Francis launched Laudato Si, the Vatican’s plea to save the Earth, Trump rejected its tenets and the Paris Agreement. But people of all faiths are unified globally to beat climate change.
Climate Change
Stay the Course of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change
Religious believers are strongly committed to act to address the challenge of climate change. This commitment to act–shared across religions–is based upon a deep understanding of its scientific and–above all–moral and religious dimensions. As a result, many religious communities strongly supported the Paris Agreement that deals with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance, signed in December 2015 by 195 countries.
Queensland: Community Seminar on Islam and Environmental Stewardship
A seminar on Islam and Environmental Stewardship was held on 19 February at Holland Park Mosque. This was an initiative of a small group from the Brisbane Muslim community who felt the need to consider starting a conversation—and potential future action—on the view of our faith on issues of climate change that are impacting our environment and our role as stewards on earth.
Tasmania, February 2017
Greetings of peace! At the moment we are celebrating UN World Interfaith Harmony Week, at a time when we are facing many challenges to the Interfaith movement. As you will see from the items in this newsletter, however, there is great enthusiasm to meet those challenges. Our gathering for February will be in collaboration with the Multicultural Council of Tasmania on the evening of 23 February 2017.
Pope’s Address to “America in Dialogue: Our Common Home” Interfaith Symposium
common
On Thursday, Pope Francis received in audience the participants in a Symposium promoted by the Organization of American States and the Institute of Inter-Religious dialogue of Buenos Aires on the theme: “America in Dialogue: Our Common Home” (Augustinianum, Rome, September 7-8).
NSW: Living Waters – Run-off, Rivers and Reefs
Living Waters – Run-off, Rivers and Reefs is a multi-faith event for all people interested in the well-being of our inland and coastal waterways and our role in caring for them now and into the future.
Victoria: Launch of Buddhist Climate Action Kit
The Buddhist Council of Victoria and the ARRRC – an interfaith group active on climate change issues in Australia – will be jointly launching the Buddhist Climate Change Action Kit on Wednesday, 17 August.
Victoria: Muslim Perspectives on Climate Change
The Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC) / Greenfaith would like to invite you to a presentation on Faith perspectives on Climate Change: Muslim perspectives at Borderlands Library, Hawthorn on Sunday 17 July 2016.
Victoria: Islamic Committee for Climate Change
You are invited to submit expression of interest to join ICV’s Committee for Climate Change and Sustainability education. The committee will develop an action plan to initiate a climate change and energy sustainability knowledge campaign among the Muslim community of Australia to empower them.
Sacred Earth 2016
Last December, representatives of 196 nations did something they’d never before been able to accomplish before. Gathered in Paris, they reached an international agreement on climate change. Together our faith communities were at the heart of making this happen. But there is still more to do. Sacred Earth is a worldwide spiritual event taking place on Jun 12, 2016. This event spans many faith traditions.
South Australia: Humanity at the Crossroads From talk to action
The Multifaith Association of South Australia iwll host a workshop on Climate Change at the Baha’i Learning Centre on evening of Tuesday 31 May.
Sign the Interfaith Statement on Climate Change
The Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders (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.