Carbon Covenant is a program that links faith communities in the Global North and South in a common commitment to curb global warming and help mitigate its impact on vulnerable people.

Through carbon covenant relationships, Interfaith Power and Light congregations are supporting faith communities on the front lines of climate change impacts.

These faith communities are directly addressing the number one source of carbon emissions in the developing world: deforestation. They are protecting forests from illegal logging and poaching; promoting alternative, sustainable livelihoods; and reforesting degraded lands.

Join us in building solidarity with developing world faith communities, as they address climate change and build a sustainable future. 

Want to spread the word about these projects to your congregation? Download the Carbon Covenant Flier (PDF).

 

2011: UN International Year of Forests

 

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. We are joining in the celebration by honoring and supporting the work of our Carbon Covenant projects. For more information on the UN International Year of Forests, check out their webpage: UN International Year of Forests

From the Rev. Canon Sally Bingham:

I am bursting with news about our new program: Carbon Covenant. This program links up congregations and people of faith in the U.S. with faith communities on the front lines of climate change in the developing world and offers a way to help out. 

The four projects featured are faith communities in the developing world taking the initiative to mitigate climate change and protect their communities.  All of the projects address the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions in the developing world: deforestation. In Cambodia, Buddhist Monks aim to protect a remote community forest from illegal logging by ordaining trees and patrolling the area. In Ghana, the Presbyterian Church is teaching alternative, sustainable livelihoods, from snail farming to bee keeping. In Cameroon, an interfaith project is fighting desertification through tree planting. And on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, a Lutheran bishop is making tree planting a condition of confirmation in the church.

I've always believed that protecting our climate is not just about curbing industrial pollution. It's about rebuilding our relationship with the natural world in communities all over the world, and inspiring a sense of the sacred and respect for God's Creation. That's a role uniquely suited to the faith community. And that's what we are working toward at Interfaith Power and Light.

Protecting the climate will require international as well as interfaith cooperation and solidarity. One country, or one religion, can't do it alone. We in the U.S. must reduce our own oversized carbon footprint – as I know so many of our congregations have done – and we must also step up to help vulnerable people around the world be part of the solution. That's why we call this project Carbon Covenant.

Please join me in supporting these worthy projects. Get your congregation, diocese, judicatory, province, or community involved, and sponsor a project. The educational and cultural exchange potential is enormous. Or simply show your support as an individual. A gift of $100, for example, will pay for 2,000 trees on Kilimanjaro.

By working together, we can make a difference.


The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham

President and Founder
Interfaith Power and Light

Interfaith Power and Light

 

Interfaith Power and Light is mobilizing a religious response to global warming in congregations through the promotion of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation.

Global warming is one of the biggest threats facing humanity today. The very existence of life — life that religious people are called to protect — is jeopardized by our continued dependency on fossil fuels for energy. Every mainstream religion has a mandate to care for creation. We were given natural resources to sustain us, but we were also given the responsibility to act as good stewards and preserve life for future generations.

We focus on tangible results in congregations–putting our faith into action. This work includes educating congregations and helping them buy energy efficient lights and appliances, providing energy audits and implementing the recommendations, encouraging people to buy more fuel efficient vehicles and to drive less, supporting renewable energy development through “greentags,” working on large-scale renewable energy installation projects such as rooftop solar and advocating for sensible energy and global warming policy.