Dharma, Buddhist teachings and practice, encompasses a wide range of outer and inner phenomena. Here, the internal mind and the external surrounding environment are not as rigidly dichotomized as in Western schools of thought. Preaching that the mind and environmental surroundings are interdependent, the Buddha teaches that one never truly exists in isolation. Instead, the Buddha suggests that such an inter-connectedness between man, society and nature is revealed through an immersion in one’s surroundings. In order to achieve this, one must rid oneself of superficial material occupations. In doing so, the primacy of nature is revealed and crystallized for one’s own betterment. As Maha Ghosananda stated: “When we respect the environment, then nature will be good to us.” Many consider Buddhism as an ecological religion, based on its foundation of three guiding principles: 1) Nature as teacher, 2) Nature as a spiritual force, 3) Nature as a way of lifeReverend Cannon Sally Bingham demonstrates the hopeful possibility for interfaith coalition in environmental justice in her recent guest lecture presented by the Faculty of Religious Studies and the McGill School of Environment. Bingham suggested that “while crisis means danger, it’s also an opportunity to work together.” As a crisis we all face equally, regardless of our particular religious affiliation, it is our collective responsibility to unite together and work towards a common cause and a shared purpose on Earth. Though originally used in the context of an ancient fable, Aesop’s famous quote “united we stand divided we fall” is very much part of our modern environmental reality.
Climate change is a pervasive global phenomenon which transcends all national borders. At its roots, this environmental crisis is more than simply a scientific challenge – it is also a moral one. For many individuals, morality is encapsulated in religious beliefs. Oftentimes, religion is viewed as a divisive force serving to polarize people, communities and nations. Although the major world religions hold different conceptualizations of our relationship and responsibility to the environment, ultimately they do share a common sense of stewardship of God’s creation. In this way, understanding religious perspectives on climate change allows us to explore potential solutions.
Christianity:
In 1990, Pope John Paul II addressed Catholicism’s concern with environmental degradation in his World Day of Peace message. John Paul observed that world peace is additionally threatened by a sheer lack of respect for nature, God’s prized creation. John Paul urged that, as inhabitants of God’s creation, the environmental crisis “is about our human stewardship of God’s creation and our responsibility to those who come after us.” Increasingly Christians are mobilizing environmental efforts as a moral imperative. The following four principles, predominant in the Christian worldview, are identified as helping to guide action in environmental advocacy: 1) Acting with a sense of prudence, 2) Protecting the poor and most vulnerable, 3) Working toward a common good, 4) Promoting human solidarity
These principles reflect the interdependency of all living creatures of God’s creation. The current environmental crisis thus transcends all borders and encompasses us all. This compels us all to take preventative action in being prudent with God’s creation.
Islam:
Similarly to other non-Western religions, with a strong dualistic framework of the relationship between religion and science, Muslims view climate change through a broader framework of global environmental concerns. As Seyyed Hossein Nasr stated in a phone interview with the Yale Forum, “The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University,” originally climate change was overlooked by Muslims “because these were societies engaged with very immediate problems… So even thinking people thought this was a kind of western problem, created by western industrialization and capitalism and so forth. And it wasn’t their problem.” However, an authentic Islamic environmental movement began to gain traction in the late 1970s, changing the Muslim interpretation. This has produced a collective of “Green” Muslims who find, in the 7th century teachings of the Prophet Muhammad contained in the Qu’ran, explicit references to nature’s sacredness and caring for God’s creation. Sarah Jawaid, director of the group Green Muslims in Washington, D.C eloquently explained “God bestowed mankind with vice regency on Earth, entrusting humanity with the duty to protect and restore balance in the environment and to protect the signs for future generations to enjoy.”
Hinduism:
As exemplified in the 2009 Hindu Declaration on Climate Change, divinity can be found in all our surrounding environmental elements; therefore Hindus are obliged not to do harm to the environment. Earth, the Universal Mother, has reared and nurtured mankind for millions of years, and it is the duty of mankind to reciprocate such nurturance. Man and nature are not discrete entities, but rather are linked by spiritual, psychological and physical bonds. Since the environment and man are so intricately bound together in Hindu ideology, Hindus believe that the destruction of nature simultaneously destroys oneself. This holistic worldview allows for an inherent, deep-rooted environmental consciousness among Hindus. Making up 1/6th of the world’s population, the Hindu commitment to environmental justice has profound potential to motivate others. Mahatma Gandhi’s compelling quote, “you must be the change you wish to see in the world,” inspires many Hindus to set an example and be that change this world needs.
Judaism:
Jewish leaders have made fundamental strides in forming several specific structural organizations, which have set concrete goals. The Jewish Environmental and Energy Imperative is an example of such an effort. This Imperative was signed by 50 Jewish leaders and mandates a decrease of Jewish community greenhouse gases by 83% from 2005 levels, which coincides with the national goal set by US President Obama. Much of Judaic beliefs are based on an agrarian Biblical culture, in which many holidays and festivals are in actuality environmental celebrations (e.g. Tu B’shvat: the New Year of the Trees). In Genesis, the first humans are put in the Garden of Eden and are instructed to be stewards of the Earth; here is the first recorded instance of human responsibility for the well-being of God’s creations. In this sense, by harming the environment, one is simultaneously violating a covenant with God.
Buddhism:
