FAITH AND CLIMATE CHANGE
All faiths encourage people of faith to take care of their environment and be stewards of the world. People of faith have a role to play in thought, speech, worship and action.
On this page you can find some resources and information to help tackle climate change.
Climate Change Organisations
Faith for the Climate exists to encourage, inspire and equip faith communities in their work on climate change
The world’s religious groups are developing Faith Plans for People and Planet, using their assets, investments, influence and resources to drive practical action on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development over the next seven to ten years.
This is the most ambitious environmental initiative ever launched by the world’s faiths.
The UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change.
Do you want to talk with others about climate change, but you’re not quite sure how?
You can find some ready-made materials to help you here.
iDot – Small Actions Make Big Impacts (idot-waf.org.uk)
iDot stands for I Do One Thing: a simple action you can do every day. Click on the link to access resources and information.
Climate Centres & Initiatives in Surrey
Home | Zero Carbon Guildford | Climate Change
ZERO is a new community space set up to drive a community-led climate action plan. Promoting education and solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation, we’re bringing together the work happening locally to help the borough adapt to a changing planet.
Dorking Climate Emergency | Surrey Based Climate Action Group (dorking-climate-emergency.net)
Talking Tree is a Climate Emergency Centre that has been developed by a group of volunteers concerned about the changing climate and biodiversity loss. Talking Tree provides a venue for local people to meet, to share information and ideas about how we can build a stronger, more resilient community in Spelthorne and the surrounding area.
Extinction Rebellion Farnham | XR Farnham
What Next? – Climate Emergency Centres for Waverley
Formerly known as Woking Local Action 21, they are a voluntary group of individuals taking action locally on issues relating to climate change and sustainability.
Surrey Climate Action Groups | Dorking Climate Emergency (dorking-climate-emergency.net)
A list of climate action groups in Surrey
The Surrey Climate Commission was officially launched in June 2019, formed from a collaboration of organisations including the University of Surrey, Surrey Chambers of Commerce, Siemens, World Wildlife Fund and Surrey Wildlife Trust.
Divestment | Surrey Pension Act Now | Home (surreypensions.org)
A collection of Surrey residents and organisations calling for Surrey County Council’s Pension Fund to remove our pension funds from investments in fossil fuels
Our Group Toolkit | Sustainable Overton
A Toolkit for Parish Councils: How to set up a climate change community group.
CommuniHeat | Pathway to net zero
CommuniHeat is a partnership to develop a roadmap to enable rural communities to switch to low-carbon heating in a way that ensures comfort, affordability and a smooth transition.
Surrey has many groups focused on environment and climate action, they can be found here
Councils on Environment
Surrey Environment Partnership – Your councils working together (surreyep.org.uk)
The Surrey Environment Partnership is made up of Surrey County Council and the 11 district and borough councils in the county. It aims to manage Surrey’s waste in the most efficient, effective, economical and sustainable manner.
Have Your Say Today – Surrey’s Greener Future – Commonplace
Surrey County Council’s Delivery Plan for Climate Change
Community Energy in Surrey – Surrey County Council – Citizen Space (surreysays.co.uk)
Community energy is about people coming together to generate, own, manage or reduce consumption of energy. Community-owned low carbon and renewable energy projects focus on local engagement, local leadership and control, and the local community benefitting collectively from the projects
How we’re tackling Climate Change | Mole Valley District Council
Climate emergency action plan | Woking Borough Council
Corporate Plan 2021-2025 – Guildford Borough Council and Climate_Change__Sustainable_Design__Construction_and_Energy_SPD1.pdf
Waverley Borough Council – Climate change strategy and action plan
Islam on Climate Change
IFEES Protecting our planet for future generations using Islamic teachings
The Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES) is a UK based charity dedicated to the maintenance of the Earth as a healthy habitat for all living beings.
Providing sustainable energy solutions for Islamic institutions to become more eco friendly and reduce their carbon footprint. Through our eco awards scheme was aim to have Mosques aiming to reach these eco friendly quality standards which will ensure a sustainable future for the sacred buildings and the communities they serve.
Wisdom In Nature: Islamic Ecology ~ Permaculture ~ Inclusive Leadership
WIN deliver experiential courses and training to support groups and communities to acquire the tools, skills, awareness and inspiration, to co-create the resilient, wholesome and beautiful world we know is possible.
Training, Education and Campaigns
Christianity on Climate Change
Environment – churches, Christian organisations and campaigns (ctbi.org.uk)
A list of churches and Christian organisations involved in environment and climate change issues
A Rocha UK – Caring for God’s Earth
A Rocha is a Christian conservation organisation. It is involved in scientific research, environmental education and community-based conservation projects. In Jan 2016 it launched Eco Church in partnership with Christian Aid, the Church of England, the Methodist Church and Tearfund.
A Christian carbon offsetting charity that invites individuals, churches, charities and businesses to ‘reduce what you can and offset what you can’t’.
Eco Church – An A Rocha UK Project
Eco Church provides resources for churches to do an environmental audit (church check-up) and to encourage appropriate action. There is an award scheme designed to affirm good practice in environmental stewardship
Green Christian – Ordinary Christians, extraordinary times
Green Christian provides information on ecology and the environment for Christians and churches, and offers Christian insights to the Green movement. It has a range of resources including Green Christian magazine, a Carbon Reduction Course (ecocell) and material around LOAF – Locally produced, Organically grown, Animal friendly and Fairly traded food.
The John Ray Initiative – connecting Environment, Science and Christianity (jri.org.uk)
The John Ray Initiative (JRI) is an educational charity with ‘a vision to bring together scientific and Christian understandings of the environment in a way that can be widely communicated and lead to effective action’.
Operation Noah | A Christian response to climate change
Its current campaign Bright Now aims to persuade churches to disinvest from fossil fuel companies.
Christian Climate Action – Direct action, public witness for the climate
‘A community of Christians supporting each other to take meaningful action in the face of imminent and catastrophic anthropogenic climate change.’
Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN)
An action-focused community of Christians in the UK aged 18-30, committed to following Jesus in the pursuit of climate justice, which launched in August 2020.
Home – The Ecological Conversion Group (theecg.org)
The Ecological Conversion Group is a small group of Catholic volunteers responding to Pope Francis’s encyclical “Laudato Si” in which he calls for us to become Ecologically Converted.
Judaism on Climate Change
EcoSynagogue – Promoting environmental sustainability in our synagogues and beyond
EcoSynagogue working in partnership with The Board of Deputies of British Jews, promoting environmental sustainability and engagement across the Jewish Community
Buddhism on Climate Change
Hinduism on Climate Change
Hindu Climate Action – Mobilising the Hindu Community to Tackle Climate Change
The ongoing climate emergency is global in scale and catastrophic in consequence. There are nearly 1 billion Hindus around the world living and breathing values such as ahimsa (non-harm) and revering this Earth as Bhumi Devi.
Sikhism on Climate Change
EcoSikh connects Sikh values, beliefs, and institutions to the most important environmental issues facing our world.
Case Studies
Alekka
Alekka joined our Redhill Women’s Group in November 2020. The Women’s Groups is part of our Many Hands project which helps women to integrate by building stronger social bonds, gaining new skills for work through volunteering and improving their language and...
Kamilla
Kamilla’s husband is a drug addict. He is verbally and physical violent towards Kamilla – often forcing her to give him money so he can feed his addiction. Much of this violence is witnessed by their young children. Our Trust Project supports women and families from...
Zahra
Our Muslim Women and Girls’ Groups in Surrey Heath provide regular weekly drop in sessions that bring together South Asian women and girls of all nationalities, creeds and cultures, to socialise, learn new skills and improve their wellbeing through activities and...
Faith Organisations
Case Studies
Alekka
Alekka joined our Redhill Women’s Group in November 2020. The Women’s Groups is part of our Many Hands project which helps women to integrate by building stronger social bonds, gaining new skills for work through volunteering and improving their language and...
Kamilla
Kamilla’s husband is a drug addict. He is verbally and physical violent towards Kamilla – often forcing her to give him money so he can feed his addiction. Much of this violence is witnessed by their young children. Our Trust Project supports women and families from...
Zahra
Our Muslim Women and Girls’ Groups in Surrey Heath provide regular weekly drop in sessions that bring together South Asian women and girls of all nationalities, creeds and cultures, to socialise, learn new skills and improve their wellbeing through activities and...