News Items

The Forum regularly posts news articles of interest here from a variety of sources and news outlets. You can check back here or view the most recent ones from the homepage. We also archive these articles here, for those doing research, with news going back to 2006. Use the menu on the right to explore the archived articles.

News

Ganges and Yamuna rivers granted same legal rights as human beings

March 21, 2017
By Michael Safi
The Guardian

The Ganges river, considered sacred by more than 1 billion Indians, has become the first non-human entity in India to be granted the same legal rights as people.

A court in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand ordered on Monday that the Ganges and its main tributary,...

Tribes March in DC for Water and for Mother Earth

March 16, 2017
By Ethan Goffman
E – The Environmental Magazine

On February 22, police removed Native American protestors outside the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. The protestors were trying to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline, which crosses sacred tribal ground and threatens to pollute their drinking water. With final approval at the onset of the Donald Trump presidency, the...

New Zealand river granted same legal rights as human being

March 16, 2017
By Eleanor Ainge Roy
The Guardian

In a world-first a New Zealand river has been granted the same legal rights as a human being.

The local Māori tribe of Whanganui in the North Island has fought for the recognition of their river – the third-largest in New Zealand – as an ancestor for 140...

Have faith in religion's ability to bridge the political divide

March 15, 2017
By Robyn Purchia
SF Examiner

Since the George H.W. Bush administration, Mustafa Ali has worked to reduce the violence that pollution and climate change wreak on marginalized, struggling communities. But last week, after 24 years at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office on Environmental Justice, he resigned. Ali said proposed deep budget cuts to EPA...

World Student Christian Federation News

World Student Christian Federation

Federation News No. 1, 2017

http://www.wscfglobal.org/

Vatican investment conference explores clean energy 'for our common home'

March 14, 2017
By Marie Venner  
National Catholic Reporter

Vatican City - In late January, I had the opportunity to attend a small conference at the Pontifical Lateran University on Catholic actions, financial and otherwise, to resolve the climate crisis. 

Native Americans march to the White House in spiritual battle against pipeline

March 10, 2017
By Lilly Fowler
Religion News Service   

Washington - On a cold rainy morning, members of the American Indian tribes shouted “Water is sacred” and “Keep it in the soil; can’t drink oil” as they marched toward the White House.

The March 10 protest against the Dakota Access pipeline included hundreds of Native Americans, some dressed in traditional...

Pope receives electric car, as studies for an all-renewables Vatican underway

March 10, 2017
By Brian Roewe  
National Catholic Reporter

El Papa’s got a brand new car. And it’s electric.

In December, Pope Francis received a Nissan Leaf electric car as a birthday present from Jochen Wermuth of Wermuth Asset Management, a German investment firm focused on sustainability. The gift was made public in late February.

Later this year, the firm...

Strengthened by Standing Rock, Native Americans march on D.C. What's next for the movement?

March 10, 2017
By Elizabeth Flock and Iman Smith
PBS

Despite bitter cold, wind, rain and hail, hundreds of members of Native American tribes and supporters from around the country turned out Friday to march on the White House, in an effort to turn the momentum of the ...

Asia-Oceania Meeting of Religious inspires eco-citizens

March 9, 2017
By Gail DeGeorge
Global Sisters Report

As the Asia-Oceania Meeting of Religious XVII wrapped up March 3 in Yangon, Myanmar, participants said they would carry with them a renewed commitment to their responsibility as eco-citizens, the message of environmental care to their congregations and beyond, and an affirmation of the meeting’s importance in strengthening...

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