Faith Plans for People and Planet

Tara C. Trapani

This week, the Faith Plans for People and Planet site was launched, an exciting project organized by WWF and FaithInvest. The project involves faith groups around the world creating step by step plans on how they will take concrete action to help the planet.

From the Faith Plans site:
Faith groups are developing Plans looking at how they can use their assets, resources and influence to drive practical action on the environment over the next seven to 10 years. This initiative is inspired by the success of the original 2009 Faith Commitments programme which resulted in more than 60 plans that have profoundly shaped the faiths' response to key environmental issues over the last decade. 

The Faith Plans programme has identified Seven Key Areas  where religions can have a significant impact on the environment through their resources and traditions. These range from their buildings, schools, investments and youth groups to their land, purchasing power, influence and advocacy – and, of course, their wisdom. Each faith decides which areas apply to their own structure and outreach, and then plans how they will drive practical action on the environment. The Plans will be announced later this year, before the UN's COP26 Climate Conference which will be held in Glasgow, UK, in November 2021. They will be implemented by the different faith groups over the next seven to 10 years, depending on each group's timescale. Dozens of faiths have signed up to develop a Plan and all major faith traditions are involved, as well as key interfaith groups. This is the biggest environmental initiative ever launched by the faiths.

The Seven Key Areas are:

  • Assets (land, buildings, forests, investments)
  • Education and young people
  • Wisdom
  • Lifestyles
  • Media, advocacy and outreach
  • Partnerships
  • Celebration

Faith groups can join the effort and help create a Faith Plan by filling out the form here

To see what faith groups have already commited to creating a plan, look at the list and map, here

For more information, watch the video below and go to the Faith Plans site