Below find out what people of faith are up to this week and upcoming, Indigenous news and news from UNEA-6, as well as a list of links to Lent resources.
Scroll for info and links in this week’s weekly(ish):
JustCreation prior weeks of this Weekly and other articles.
Upcoming events—Divestment with Bill McKibben
Faith voices and Indigenous news this week, scroll down.
Reports and Studies
There is Good News, too!
Lent Resources
Lenten Resources for the Creation and Climate. A few to explore:
Texas Interfaith Power and Light Methane Lent Series
A range of great Lent Challenges from Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod ELCA.
Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake Lent Reflection: The Power of Love
A Rocha UK Connect with our Creator and God’s creation during Lent, learn more about their resource from Religion Unplugged, ‘get outside in lent.’
From Fossil Free UMC A Reflection for Divestment as well as a Reflection in Verse. And from the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement, Devotional for Lent: Let Us Be A Lifeline People.
Episcopal. Lent might be a great time to explore An Episcopal Path to Creation Justice, a pilot program for congregations. More Episcopal Creation Care resources from the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.
Catholic Climate Covenant, a great ecumenical round up of resources.
Lent resources also from Creation Justice Ministries (requires sign-up to access.)
More resources from Interfaith Power and Light
And liturgy and worship planning for Eastertide: How Shall We Live.
Boost
A Conversation on Divestment with Bill McKibben! March 7th. This event is co-hosted by Climate Cafe Multifaith—see the promo—, United Methodist Creation Justice Movement Cafe, and Fossil Free UMC—Learn more and register.
Oil and Gas
I don’t usually have a special section for oil and gas news, but there were a few things in the news that caught my eye this week. For decades it has been known by oil companies and others that the emissions and other pollution from production and use of fossil fuels is causing widespread destruction. Despite this, drilling continues, emissions are higher than ever, and, despite significant consequences to human health and biodiversity, the decades have seen a massive increase in production of pesticides and plastics.
And profits are off the charts: From Global Witness, US & European big oil profits top a quarter of a trillion dollars since the invasion of Ukraine.
This section turned into its own article: Oil and Gas - Where are we now?
Reports & Studies
Find more reports on the reports page.
From the UN Environment Programme - Three new reports. With the UN Environmental Assembly this last week in Nairobi, Kenya (more info below), The UNEP published a few reports, including the Global Resources Outlook Report, and the Global Waste Management Outlook Report, and including take-a-ways from the The Climate and Clean Air Conference 2024 also in Nairobi.
From the Global Resources Outlook Report. From UNEP, Rich countries use six times more resources, generate 10 times the climate impacts than low-income ones. “Extraction of the Earth’s natural resources tripled in the past five decades, related to the massive build-up of infrastructure in many parts of the world and the high levels of material consumption, especially in upper-middle and high-income countries.” Read the report.
Global Waste Management Outlook Report, 2024. Also from UNEP and released prior to the UNEA-6, “In 2020, 38 per cent of all municipal solid waste (810 million tonnes) was uncontrolled: that is, it was dumped in the environment or openly burned. If waste management practices remain the same as today, by 2050 this figure will almost double …Since pollution from waste knows no borders, this is of international concern.” Read the report.
Plastics. Yet another study about plastics that horrifies. From The Guardian, Microplastics found in every human placenta tested in study Scientists express concern over health impacts, with another study finding particles in arteries. Read the Health Sciences News Room Press Release, Microplastics in Every Human Placenta, New UNM Health Sciences Research Discovers. Read the study.
Faith Voices in the News This Week
The Sixth UN Environment Assembly and Al-Mizan, A Covenant for the Earth
The Sixth UN Environment Assembly, UNEA-6 (what is this?). Last week saw the international policy gathering known as the UNEA-6. The parties gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, and in general the UNEA meets every two years to form agreements around international environmental policy. The focus this year was the climate crisis, the loss of nature and biodiversity, and pollution—such as plastics. Well over 5,000 gathered with delegations from 190 countries as well as youth, NGOs, people of faith, and other stakeholders.
The Global Youth Environment Assembly gathered also in Nairobi to address the same issues. At the front of the concerns of the youth were generational inequity, and lack of investment in younger people, their ideas and capacity to develop and enact solutions. Their effort seemed to express also that if only investment would flow to the young, more action could and would be taken. Read the Global Youth Declaration on the Environment, 2024.
People of Faith were present and visible at the Assembly. At a morning faith breakfast, The Sunday Standard, Kenya, reported, Religious leaders call for an end to activities that cause carbon emissions. SEI sponsored also an event on the importance of multilateralism, or cooperative action: Why faith matters matter in multilateralism to combat climate change impacts, biodiversity loss and plastic pollution.
Faith Perspective in the Assembly. To get a sense of how people of faith understood the importance of their participation, read an interview with Canon Rachel Mash who attended. From Anglican Communion News Service, UNEA6 – A Seat at the Table for Everyone.
Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth. Even with all the other important and good work accomplished the last couple of weeks, the stunning moment was when the Council of Muslim Elders announced the release of Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth. This document has been in development, and much awaited. From My Joy Online, Ghana, Islamic Scholars unveil Islamic approach to environmental stewardship at UNEA-6. More about the Al-Mizan, and you can download the Covenant in both Arabic and English.
Reports. A few reports were published prior to the Assembly, those are listed in the report section, above.
Outcomes. Look to the news this week as outlets process the resolutions addressed or passed at the Assembly, such as this article from The Guardian, African leaders call for equity over minerals used for clean energy. ‘Crucial’ UN resolution attempts to avoid repeat of injustices produced by Africa’s fossil fuel sector For now, from UN Environment Program, UN Environment Assembly advances collaborative action on triple planetary crisis and also Outcomes adopted at the sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6): Ministerial Declaration, decisions, resolutions.
Indigenous News
Apache Stronghold and Mining at Oak Flat. Devastating news from the 9th Circuit with a ruling against the Apache people and the sacred land that is their home. From Los Angeles Times, Divided 9th Circuit rejects Apache religious challenge to copper mine on sacred land. And from Apache Stronghold, BREAKING: Federal court greenlights destruction of Oak Flat. Apache Stronghold vows to appeal decision to U.S. Supreme Court. Read more about Oak flat from faith activist Sarah Augustine, Sacred Sanctuary, the fight for Oak Flat.
“Oak Flat is like Mount Sinai to us—our most sacred site where we connect with our Creator, our faith, our families, and our land. Today’s ruling targets the spiritual lifeblood of my people, but it will not stop our struggle to save Oak Flat. We vow to appeal to the Supreme Court.”
The fight to stop Enbridge Line 5. The pipeline already moves 23 million gallons of both crude oil and natural gas, moving through territory that is heavily disputed as a danger to fisheries, and a tribal way of life. From Native News Online, 30 Tribal Leaders are Pressuring President Biden to Take a Stance Against Enbridge Line 5.
Alaskan Tribes and Mine Pollution. Destruction from mining does not stay in one place, but flows into rivers, aquifers, is trucked to secondary locations, and circulates in the air. Native people in Alaska are feeling the polluting effects of a mine in Canada, and are appealing for relief. From APTN National News, ‘This mining is destroying us’: Alaskan tribal group applies for Canadian status. The Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission is calling on the province of B.C. and Canada to allow it to be consulted on mining projects that impact transboundary rivers.
Land Back Efforts. Many collaborative projects of environmental stewardship and conservation have developed across the US. An understanding is growing about land stewardship and the knowledge and care of the Indigenous people. There is a rising call for the Catholic Church to return land to its original caretakers. From Earthbeat, It's time for the Catholic Church to return Indigenous land. Land returns are happening within the University system as well, from Native News Online, University of Minnesota to Return 3,400 Acres to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe.
Good News
Lots of good news this week!! Find more news in the news archive here.
Seabird poop and reef restoration. We’ve all had that awkward moment on the beach, where a poop delivery from on high, shall we say, crashes our party. But bring on the poop, so say researchers! Seabird poop is ‘white gold’ for coral reefs, which recover more quickly and grow twice as fast when there is plenty of poop—an incentive both to help restore reefs and to protect the seabirds that deliver the goods. From Mongabay, Seabird poop is recipe for coral recovery amid climate-driven bleaching.
Clean Energy News. Electrek has a number of articles to encourage you, as more clean energy projects come on line. Including that renewables in 2023 rose to 23%, Renewables expand to 23% of US electrical generation in 2023, with solar in the lead. Also great news from The Guardian, EU countries already hitting some of their sustainable energy targets for 2030. Study finds ‘systematic progress’ achieved in 2010s with some states reaching targets a decade early. Yes, a long way to go. Still, huzzah! And finally, adding geothermal. Thank you Higher Ed! From ABC News, Universities swapping energy sources to geothermal now a growing trend. The "power of the Earth" provides some of the most sustainable energy options.
Clean Tech - Carbon Capture. The jury is still out—way out—about carbon capture. It is not a means to simply continue to burn fossil fuels. We are at the tipping point. There is a consensus that we have to figure out how to get the excess carbon out of the atmosphere. Atmospheric carbon is also absorbed by the oceans, and it is here that the latest tech is focused. From New Atlas, Seawater plant will capture 10 tons of CO2 and make 300 kg of H2 per day.
Wetlands Conservation. And another eco-system togetherness story from Mongabay. Communities in Kenya are moving away from monocropping sugarcane in order to restore wetlands and habitat. For species like the Nubian flapshell turtle it is working. Nile Basin farmers grow food forests to restore wetlands and bring back a turtle.
Find the news archive here.
Prayers up.
Richenda
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