Buddhism

“Today we live in a time of great crisis, confronted by the gravest challenge that humanity has ever faced: the ecological consequences of our own collective karma [...] Collectively, we are violating the first precept—“do not harm living beings”—on the largest possible scale.”

—Buddhist Declaration on Climate Change, 2015

Catholicism

“The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all [...] We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all [...] We can no longer speak of sustainable development apart from intergenerational solidarity.”

—Pope Francis 2015 Encyclical Letter

Evangelical Christianity 

“Climate change is already impacting our neighbors and God’s creation here in the United States and around the world. For the sake of “the least of these,” we believe God is calling us to faithful action and witness in the midst of the current climate crisis. Therefore, we commit ourselves to living faithfully as good stewards of creation, advocating on behalf of the poor and marginalized, supporting our faith and political leaders when they stand up for climate action, and mobilizing our generation to join in.”

—Young Evangelicals for Climate Action

Confucianism

“Confucians know that the earth is alive. We observe its presence, appreciate its beauty and participate in its creativity. We therefore share its richness and fecundity with all life on the “Blue Planet” [...] However, humankind has repeatedly abused this beautiful gift by exploiting it recklessly, ignoring the Confucian notion of balance and harmony [...] this world is a precious heritage passed on to us from ancestors and it is a resource entrusted to us by numerous generations to come.”

—Professor Tu Weiming, International Confucian Ecological Alliance, 2013

Hinduism

“We must consider the effects of our actions not just on ourselves and those humans around us, but also on all beings [...] Climate change creates pain, suffering, and violence. Unless we change how we use energy, how we use the land, how we grow our crops, how we treat other animals, and how we use natural resources, we will only further this pain, suffering, and violence.”

—Hindu Declaration on Climate Change, 2015

Indigenous Traditions

“We reaffirm the unbreakable and sacred connection between land, air, water, oceans, forests, sea ice, plants, animals and our human communities as the material and spiritual basis for our existence. We are deeply alarmed by the accelerating climate devastation brought about by unsustainable development. [...] Mother Earth is no longer in a period of climate change, but in climate crisis. [...] Through our knowledge, spirituality, sciences, practices, experiences and relationships with our traditional lands, territories, waters, air, forests, oceans, sea ice, other natural resources and all life, Indigenous Peoples have a vital role in defending and healing Mother Earth.”

—The Anchorage Declaration, Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change, 2009

Islam

“A clean energy, sustainable future for everyone ultimately rests on a fundamental shift in the understanding of how we value the environment and each other. Islam’s teachings, which emphasize the duty of humans as stewards of the Earth and the teacher’s role as an appointed guide to correct behavior, provide guidance to take the right action on climate change.”

—Islamic Declaration on Climate Change, 2015

Judaism

“We know all Earth needs not only the joyful human voice but also the healing human hand [...] Human behavior that overworks the Earth—especially the overburning of fossil fuels—crests in a systemic planetary response that endangers human communities and many other life-forms as well.”

—Rabinic Letter on Climate Change, 2015