Tropical Forests and Biodiversity: A new primer for Religious Leaders and Faith Communities

Tropical Forests and Biodiversity: A new primer for Religious Leaders and Faith Communities

The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative has released a new issue primer on forests and biodiversity as a contribution to the Fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).

The primer covers the new Global Biodiversity Framework, the threats facing tropical forest biodiversity, profiles from the five IRI program countries, areas of priority action to protect forest biodiversity, and how faith groups can make choices and take action to contribute to biodiversity recovery.

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Religions for Peace World Council Statement on World Rainforest Day

Religions for Peace World Council Statement on World Rainforest Day

Religions for Peace World Council gives one statement in support of the Amazon and its Indigenous Peoples on the occasion of the World Rainforest Day. The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative – which Religions for Peace fosters – is a pathway to a balanced future for our Earth – the only Earth we have. You are invited to read this statement.

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Forest Restoration: Healing Tropical Forests for Spiritual Renewal

Interfaith Rainforest InitiativeThe Interfaith Rainforest Initiative has launched a new primer, ‘Forest Restoration: Healing Tropical Forests for Spiritual Renewal’. It outlines why forest restoration is an essential complement to forest protection and details how and why faith groups should participate in forest restoration projects that contribute to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

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Interfaith Rainforest – Colombia Conference

Interfaith Rainforest InitiativeThe Interfaith Rainforest Initiative is conducting an online conference. The IRI Colombia 2020 National Conference, where national and global experts will discuss the vital importance of the Amazon rainforest and the work that IRI Colombia – Iniciativa Interreligiosa Para Los Bosques Tropicales is doing to mobilize action across the country to protect forests and the rights of indigenous peoples. Online on 3 December 2020. All interested persons are invited.

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Children and Youth for Climate Justice

Children and Youth for Climate Justice Toolkit

The World Council of Churches releases a collection of curated resources to support churches, church-run schools, Sunday schools and summer camps in their ongoing efforts to promote care for children and youth through intergenerational climate- and environmental justice. The toolkit supports the Churches’ Commitments to Children, in which climate initiatives for and with children is an important pillar.

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Religious and Indigenous Leaders United to Protect Rainforests

The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative Delegation with indigenous youth leaders Rainforests provide millions of people with food, shelter, livelihoods, medicine and clean water. If protected and restored, rainforests can provide an indispensable contribution to sustainable development. Instead, they are at grave risk.

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Bishop Stålsett briefs Pope Francis, Religious Leaders and Development Experts on Interfaith Rainforest Initiative



(8 March 2019 | Vatican City) Bishop Gunnar J. Stålsett [Honorary President of Religions for Peace] addressed religious leaders and international development experts at the recent convening called by H.H. Pope Francis, “Religions and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Listening to the cry of the earth and the poor.”

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Interfaith Rainforest Initiative

Welcome to the global faith-based movement to protect rainforests

We are focused on rainforests because they represent the very best of the planet’s beauty, supporting life and providing billions of people with food, shelter, livelihoods, medicine and clean water. They are also among the best climate solutions we have.

Tragically, tropical deforestation is rampant. This destruction is unnecessary and it is deeply undermining efforts by the international community to address climate change, sustainable development and human rights. We see the deforestation crisis as a moral and ethical concern of the highest order.

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Harnessing the moral authority of the world’s religions to save rainforests


Tropical rainforests are an irreplaceable gift. Not only do they exhibit nature in its most exquisite beauty, they are planetary life support systems that provide billions of people with food, shelter, livelihoods, medicine and clean water.

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International: World Religious Leaders Consider Global Deforestation



Religions for Peace (RfP) is delighted to be working in partnership with Vidar Helgesen, the Minister of Climate and Environment of Norway, Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University, GreenFaith, Parliament of the World’s Religions, REIL Network, and the World Council of Churches to reaffirm the multi-religious commitment to protect the earth.

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