Environment

"We act from sound ecological practices to protect and preserve the Earth for both present and future generations." - URI Principle 10
Blantyre CC cleans up Malawi township


By uniting to address the causes and threats to our shared ecosystem, we honor the sacred life that lives in each of us, the water, the soil and in all species.

Examples of our work in this Action Area:

  • During this time of climate emergency, the URI network is stepping up to make a change. URI is partnering with the Faith for Earth Initiative (UNEP) and other local entities to equip Faith Leaders and community members to respond quickly and effectively to the climate crisis. The project will take place in India, Bosnia, and Lebanon in 2021.
  • In the USA, California Interfaith Power and Light CC makes energy and water conservation improvements to their houses of worship, installing solar panels, holding training programs for other congregations, and lobbying state and local governments for stronger climate policies and investments in renewable energy.
  • Forward in Action for Conservation of Indigenous Species (FACIS) introduced a new strategy of bringing people of different faiths to work together to produce organic food through a sustainable farming called "Biointensive agriculture". In the spirit of togetherness, Muslims and Christians in northern Nigeria work together on the same farmland to learn new but simple, eco-friendly methods of farming while also nurturing relationships. So people who were perceived enemies of one another are now friends working to produce organic food to fight hunger and poverty.
Search for Cooperation Circles (CCs) with a focus on Environment

Stories

Global GRACE Day, November 9th

Sabine Lichtenfels, co-founder of the peace research village Tamera, initiated the Global GRACE Day in 2005 during her first GRACE pilgrimage through Israel and Palestine. Global GRACE Day is a day of the gentle revolution, of meditation and actions in the name of GRACE. 
Dieter Duhm, partner of Sabine Lichtenfels and initiator of Tamera, wrote a beautiful text for this year's Global Grace Day. It serves as a foundation for all actions, meditations, pilgrimages and activities on that day and connects them like a common mental-spiritual roof. Below you find this text which may serve as an inspiration for your actions. We invite everyone to take part. Please let us know what you are planning to do! More information: http://www.global-grace-day.com/

Hariyali

"Hariyali" - A tribal movement to save nature, initiated by Ranchi Peace Circle and supported by the Environmental Seed Grants of URI. We started our action to form the network among the members and various tribal community leaders with the help of Birsa Munda Jan Vikash Kendra CC. Specially focusing on very challenging and affected district of Khunti by environmental degradation.

Why Sustainability Matters

The tenth item in URI’s list of principles – “We act from sound ecological practices to protect and preserve the Earth for both present and future generations” – might seem a little peculiar to someone who thinks of URI primarily as an interfaith organization devoted to peace.