The Role of Faith, Values and Ethics in Strengthening Action for Nature and Environmental Governance

Religious beliefs and practices have existed throughout all phases of history, frequently contributing to human development and thus the role of religion cannot be sidelined at this most crucial juncture in human history. In particular, spiritual and sacred beliefs are often a main driver of cultural values, environmental perspectives, social inclusion, political engagement and economic prosperity, all of which intersect with contemporary environmental challenges that require holistic approaches to address them. Religion is ideally equipped for this given its permeating influence in all areas of life and that faith is the analytical lens through which many view the world. Therefore, this paper argues that it is imperative that faith actors be actively integrated in environmental governance and that their invaluable contributions be recognized and institutionalized in a global UN resolution.