Faith and Climate Change

Self-Paced E-Learning Course
It is increasingly recognised that faith leaders and faith-based organizations (FBOs) are essential contributors towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing environmental and climatic crises. Acknowledging this, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the Faith for Earth Initiative to strategically engage with FBOs, mobilise greater faith-inspired environmental action, scale-up faith actors’ capacities and catalyse greater synergies between them and other stakeholders. This short, self-paced, e-learning course, focusing on climate change, forms part of this commitment.

Global climate change is arguably the defining challenge of our time, and faith actors must be informed and empowered to play their part in addressing it. Climate change presents not only an environmental issue, but a political, scientific and economic one. Indeed, given the inherent inequalities in its causes and manifestations, at its root it is also a social justice and human rights issue. As we explore in this course, climate change should also be considered a moral and spiritual issue that galvanises faith and interfaith action to address it. Addressing climate change requires the engagement of all sectors of global society, with this course focusing on the role of faith actors, drawing on the particular qualities and comparative advantages they have.



  • At the end of this course, participants will:
    • Understand the broad issue of climate change, the essential scientific evidence showing that it is caused by human activity, the immense threats it poses and the urgent need to address it.
    • Recognise different ways, mechanisms and global strategies to address climate change, with special emphasis on the role of the UN system.
    • Identify different faith perspectives on nature and the environment as they relate to the contemporary challenge of climate change, demonstrating this is a shared concern amongst all faith traditions.
    • Better understand the role FBOs can play in tackling climate change and the value of working with faith actors on this issue.

Certification

A Certificate of Completion will be issued to participants who achieve a minimum total score of 70%.


About UNEP

Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnerships in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UNEP works closely with its 193 Member States and representatives from civil society, businesses, and other major groups and stakeholders to address environmental challenges through the UN Environment Assembly, the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment.


Course Lessons

I acquired a vast amount of knowledge through this e-learning course. From the misconception that I may have heard about climate change, and especially learning that its effects affect the whole world, regardless of how much one contributes to it. I hope to apply this knowledge skillfully where opportunities present.
Khanyisa Nhlabatsi, Course Participant, Zambia