Story Spark: Faith & Religion

The document outlines how faith communities can serve as sources for climate stories, noting that while many religious leaders acknowledge man-made climate change, a gap often exists between belief and preaching. It encourages reporters to move beyond 'science-vs-religion tropes' and highlights global examples of faith-based climate action, from 'Green Islam' in Indonesia to solar adoption among Evangelicals in Indiana.

• There is a significant gap between the beliefs of US Christian leaders and their communication with congregations; although 90% believe in man-made climate change, most "never discussed it in their sermons or teachings, and 25% only mentioned it once or twice."
• Faith communities can act as "community lighthouses" during and after severe storms, assisting in recovery and leading local climate solutions such as tree plantings and neighborhood solar projects.
• Various global religious movements are integrating climate action into their faith, including the "Green Islam" movement in Indonesia based on the Quran, and the influence of Pope Francis's 2015 encyclical Laudato Si' on religious mandates to protect the natural world.
• In some regions, faith and industry are deeply intertwined, such as in southern Louisiana where "oil and faith are fused into one identity," while in Indiana, some Evangelical pastors promote solar energy for economic reasons without explicitly mentioning climate change.

APA

CCNow (2026). Story Spark: Faith & Religion. Covering Climate Now. https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-faith-and-religion/

Chicago

CCNow. Story Spark: Faith & Religion. Covering Climate Now, 2026. https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-faith-and-religion/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=CCNow |title=Story Spark: Faith & Religion |publisher=Covering Climate Now |date=27 January 2026 |url=https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-faith-and-religion/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ccnow2026story, author = {CCNow}, title = {{Story Spark: Faith \& Religion}}, institution = {Covering Climate Now}, year = {2026}, month = jan, url = {https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-faith-and-religion/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }