Faiths in Poll Position to Curb Climate Change
10 January 2010 22:05
press release for immediate release
Faiths in Poll Position to Curb Climate Change
11 January 2010, London. The faithful believe climate action is a religious duty and they are more influenced by their scriptures than by climate change science or Government policy, according to a Faithbook on Facebook poll released today, one month after COP15 in Copenhagen.
77% don’t just see caring for the environment as supported by their faith, but as a religious duty. Having said that, 64% feel that religions have not done enough to tackle climate change, and nearly half feel that religious leaders ought to fly less to set an example and reflect the environmental beliefs of their faith. Faithbook is an interfaith social networking page on Facebook, with more than 3500 fans. The poll, commissioned by the Bible Society, who launch a global faith climate network and the world’s first virtual dialogue on faith and climate change later this week, reveals:
- 80% believe that in order to tackle climate change they must first tackle change within themselves
- 63% say that their faith and scriptures have a greater influence on their environmental actions and beliefs than science or Government policy
- 77% believe that caring for the planet is not just supported by faiths, but is a religious duty
- 47% say religious leaders should fly less to set an example and reflect the ecological beliefs of their faith
- 64% believe religions have not done enough to tackle climate change
Martin Palmer, UN special advisor on Climate Change, the Environment and the Faiths, and Secretary General of Prince Philip’s conservation charity, the Alliance for Religions and Conservation, says, ’With the failure of Copenhagen the role of civil society becomes paramount. Religion is the largest single force in civil society and has already begun taking action. Time now to stop waiting for governments. Time now for the faiths to take the lead in changing the world for the better.’
Rachel Ward, spokesperson for the Bible Society, says ‘The Bible is alive with verses about caring for the environment. 84% of the world’s population belong to a faith. The Faithbook poll suggests that a greater emphasis on the scriptural support for climate care, rather than focusing on the role of Governments or science alone, could have a massive impact on reducing global warming.’
5.7 billion of the 6.8 billion* world’s population are adherents of a religious faith. A database of scriptural verses supporting climate care in the Bible, Qur’an and Jewish scriptures will be among the resources on the new faith climate network, which the Bible Society launches on Thursday this week. <Ends>
All media enquiries
- Simon Cohen, global tolerance, +44 (0)845 054 0064, +44 (0)751 538 7314, simon@globaltolerance.com
- Kate Shepherd, global tolerance, +44 (0)845 054 0064, +44 (0)7971 782 726, kate@globaltolerance.com
Media opportunities
- Rachel Ward, Bible Society, about the significance of the poll results
Notes to editors
- 285 people completed the Faithbook poll, which was constructed using Survey Monkey, the leading survey tool on the web (ranked by Alexa), with over 80% of the Fortune 100 currently using it. The poll was linked directly on the Faithbook on Facebook home page. The raw poll data is available to all media on request.
- Faithbook is an interfaith social networking page on Facebook and has 3721 fans (as of 10 January 2010). It was set up in 2008 by Global Tolerance to improve interfaith relations and tackle extremism on the web. Faithbook on Facebook is the number one Google entry when searching ‘Faithbook’ and can also be accessed at http://www.facebook.com/pages/London-United-Kingdom/Faithbook/15455922917.
- The Bible Society, which commissioned the Faithbook poll, exists because millions lack the Bible in a language they can understand, in a form they can use or at a price they can afford. At the same time millions still have no understanding of the Bible’s value for them and their communities. The Bible Society hopes to raise public awareness about the Biblical references and support for caring for the environment. More information about the Bible Society can be found at www.biblesociety.org.uk.
*• 84% of the world’s population (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population) belong to a religious faith. Source: http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html
