Climate Change: A Peace and Justice Issue

Written by Dr. Lucinda Mosher

We Examine the relationship between climate change and the quest for social justice.

From the Executive Director:

Recently, we have heard strong statements from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the need for developed nations to work to counter climate change. Speaking at the recent Major Economic Forum on Climate Change, President Barack Obama asserted that the United States would play a strong role in such global efforts. Many of the constituents of Religions for Peace – USA have issued their own statements on this matter. This seems to be a good time for RFP-USA to issue a reminder that climate change is indeed a peace-and-justice issue. We offer these thoughts from intern Sarah D’Andrea (University of Georgia):

• Climate change is not a new phenomenon, but its effects have increasingly become more apparent and devastating. Recent weather disasters have been catalyzed, at least in part, by rising global temperatures induced by human actions. These disasters are catastrophic to the environmental terrain and to the inhabitants of the region. So, the problems and repercussions of climate change can be traced linearly: Humankind acts detrimentally upon nature throwing off the natural ecosystem, nature reacts in violent ways destroying both the surrounding terrain and the livelihood of its inhabitants. It is a relationship with a cause and a two-fold effect.
• The explanations and consequences are not only scientific and social in nature, but also take issue with peace and justice.
• Climate change is clearly a justice issue from some religious vantage points as it is an injustice to commit violent acts upon nature, and from most other religious perspectives, actions that cause harm to human beings are condemned. So, from either a direct or an indirect cause, environmental injustice has a detrimental outcome.
• Yet climate change is also a peace issue if “peace” is defined as, “the absence of violence.” If nothing is done to circumvent the environmental ramifications of climate change, an increase in violence will surely result. Disasters stemming from climate change can deplete an area’s natural resources and create a scarcity that causes conflicts over their use.
• With this problem comes a call to action from our religious communities who have, as a cornerstone, a reverence for nature, respect for humanity or both. The reasons behind this action can be interpreted in relation to each specific tradition, but support of this issue—even through some symbolic action—is necessary. Even a symbolic action may raise awareness about an increasingly important and world-wide concern.