New guidebook puts faith in people to protect the planet

A new science-led booklet and website launched today showcasing actions people can take to protect the planet has been written with input from the Vatican to ‘ground it in language’ that will speak to 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide.

Through a collaboration between the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the new communication tools, accessible in five languages, focus on topics including climate change, biodiversity, sustainability and social justice.

“In all we do at SEI, we have a dual mission to produce robust, trustworthy science, and communicate the results so they are clear, compelling and actionable,” SEI executive director Måns Nilsson said. “Robust evidence is as crucial as ever, but what drives people’s actions is their values, and their sense of their place in the world. By combining our organizations’ respective strengths, we have produced a booklet that I believe will be very compelling and useful to readers. At a time when many people feel hopeless, like they can’t possibly make a difference, this guide shows they can – both individually, and by advocating collectively for systemic change.”

In addition to the new online resources, the Dicastery is distributing half a million hard copies to parishes around the world.

“We are at a critical historical moment where actions today will determine the fate of generations to come,” adds Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. “The challenge ahead is monumental; we need nothing short of a ‘bold cultural revolution’ to respond to it adequately. For this reason, the guidebook we offer today to local churches and community groups represents an important and hopeful collaboration between two great sectors: that of science, and that of faith. While starting from complementary worldviews, what we hold in common is what matters – science and faith share core values and purpose capable of healing the world.” 

Go to the SEI website for versions in English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish