The IPCC report couldn’t be any clearer: time is running out to act on the climate crisis. It might be tempting to bury one’s head in the sand, to feel powerless, or to become paralysed with anger at the scale of the injustice. However, this is not an option.  
 

 

Jane Goodall’s words invite us to shift from paralysis to purpose. Every action, no matter how small, ripples outward. In times of crisis, those ripples can gather into waves of transformation.
 

Faith-based actors are among those taking up this call, recognising that the challenges of climate change, inequality and social division demand not only political and scientific solutions, but also values, ethics, faith and spiritual courage. In this edition, we share how some religious leaders and faith-based actors are engaging with the urgent call for climate justice: from the upcoming 6th European Policy Dialogue Forum to new learning opportunities and stories from the field.
 

We hope you will enjoy reading and look forward to hearing from you!
 

Warm wishes from Lisbon,
 

 

 

 

The next European Policy Dialogue Forum (EPDF) will focus on the intersection between social cohesion and climate justice. So why involve faith-based actors in this? 

 

Religious leaders and faith-based organizations are increasingly considered as essential contributors towards attaining the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing the climate crisis. Climate change is arguably the defining challenge of our time, and faith actors must be involved and supported to play their part in addressing it. Climate change is not only an environmental issue, but a political, societal, scientific and economic one as well. 

Given the deep inequalities in both its causes and impacts, it is fundamentally a matter of social justice and human rights. The 6th European Policy Dialogue Forum will serve as a platform for key stakeholders to come together and discuss how climate change is also a moral and spiritual issue, inspiring faith-based and interfaith action. Addressing climate change requires close collaboration and engagement of all levels and sectors, including religious leaders and faith actors. This provides an opportunity to draw on the strengths and comparative advantages they bring to the table.

Listen to Azmaira Alibhai, KAICIID Fellow and Faith & Ecosystems Coordinator at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as she shares her reflections during our online consultation ahead of the EPDF.
 

 

 

Register for our short, free-of-charge, and self-paced online course, developed in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This 2-hour course explores how UNEP’s Faith for Earth Initiative integrates faith actors into UNEP’s broader strategy, highlighting the benefits of partnerships between faith and secular actors through both scientific and faith-inspired approaches. Participants will examine practical examples of faith-driven environmental action and the universal connection between religions and nature, emphasising that care for the environment is a shared ethical principle across all faith traditions. Register here.

 

 

A living space for our shared vocabulary-in-progress, where we try unpacking what these terms mean to us and invite you to do the same

 

Climate Justice
 

Climate justice addresses the unequal distribution of climate change impacts and responsibilities, recognising that marginalised and minority communities bear disproportionate burdens despite contributing least to the problem. This framework builds on decades of environmental justice scholarship pioneered by Robert Bullard. Bullard's foundational work, including his seminal book "Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class, and Environmental Quality", documented how toxic facilities and environmental hazards are systematically located in communities of colour. His research methodology and findings established the academic foundation for understanding environmental inequities, which now extends to climate impacts. Climate justice principles emphasise that wealthy social groups and countries, including the private sector – and particularly multinational companies - must take greater responsibility for solutions, while ensuring vulnerable populations have meaningful participation in climate policy decisions. The movement advocates for a "just transition" that protects workers and communities as economies shift away from fossil fuels, promoting equity throughout the process of climate action.

In essence, climate justice calls for dividing responsibilities according to contributions while addressing systemic, socioeconomic and intergenerational inequities.

 

The Network for Dialogue (N4D) is a KAICIID-supported platform that brings together civil society organizations, religious leaders, scholars and practitioners from across Europe. Its mission is to strengthen interreligious and intercultural dialogue as a tool for the social inclusion of refugees and migrants. Since its creation in 2019, N4D has connected migrant and refugee communities of different faith, religious and cultural backgrounds with their hosting communities, while also serving as a channel between grassroots voices and policymakers to ensure that inclusive dialogue remains at the heart of integration efforts.
 

In late June 2025, the N4D gathered in Luxembourg for its second Strategic Planning Meeting and Roundtable, hosted by N4D member and civil society organization "Formation et Sensibilisation Luxembourg". The meeting was supported by the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) and the financial contribution of the Erasmus Plus Programme. Around 20 members from 13 European countries came together to deepen the N4D’s strategic vision – setting goals around civic engagement, interreligious and intercultural dialogue and inclusive policy advocacy, in line with its mission and values. 

A public roundtable at Abbey Neumünster, co-hosted by the Anna Lindh Foundation Network Luxembourg, convened religious leaders, academics, policymakers and civil society representatives to discuss “Faith, Belonging, and Civic Engagement” – reaffirming that dialogue isn’t just a tool but a vital commitment to belonging and inclusion. 
 

 

The Youth Forum for Faith & Ecology brings together young people of diverse faiths and beliefs who are committed to addressing the climate crisis. It offers a space for dialogue, learning and co-creation – where faith and ecology meet.

 

The Forum launched in April 2025 in response to a clear gap highlighted at the annual Youth Interfaith Summit: many young people feel deeply disconnected from the way climate policy is shaped. They see decision-making processes that rarely reflect who they are or meaningfully include them. What was missing was a space where scientific and spiritual perspectives and personal and professional experiences could meet and enrich one another.

 

Since April, we have convened 25 young people from diverse faith and professional backgrounds to confront the urgency of the climate crisis, while also exploring the very real feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, and powerlessness it can evoke. 

 

Rather than polished projects or campaigns, these sessions are about asking deeper questions:
 

• What sustains us when hope feels distant?

• How does faith help us navigate burnout?

• How can we co-create solutions with the divine?

 

In one recent gathering, we explored the idea of spiritual capital – the inner conviction that compels us to act, not because success is guaranteed, but because it is right. That moral clarity does not fade, but as young leaders, we do tire.

 

The power of these dialogues lies less in visible outputs and more in what is harder to measure: connection, community and clarity. Together, we remind one another of our shared purpose, and we return to action from a place of rootedness.

 

I am proud to convene this Forum alongside my colleague Kristian Noll at the LSE Faith Centre, and I am grateful to our members for the wisdom and inspiration they bring.

 

Lauryn Duncan-Rouse
Programme Coordinator – Youth and Universities 
The Faith & Belief Forum, UK

 

 

 

 

 

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