Religion: an integral part of determining and reducing the climate change and disaster risk agenda

This research chapter examines how religious beliefs influence perceptions of risk and responses to climate change and disasters, arguing that faith can both increase and decrease vulnerability. Using a case study from El Salvador, the text highlights the difficulty in separating political ideology from religious belief and notes that while religion can improve the lives of the poor, certain interpretations of disasters may hinder sustainable development.

• Existing research on faith's role in disaster recovery, religious views of nature, and climate policy does not sufficiently guide policy makers on integrating belief systems into vulnerability assessments or the design of disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation programs.
• Religious beliefs can act as a double-edged sword, contributing to both the determination and the reduction of vulnerability to disaster risk and climate change.
• Evidence from El Salvador demonstrates that religious beliefs shape how floods and droughts are perceived and dictate whether preventive or preparedness measures are implemented.
• While religion has helped improve the lives of many impoverished people, specific religious interpretations of disasters can be detrimental to sustainable development.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2010). Religion: an integral part of determining and reducing the climate change and disaster risk agenda. https://www.sei.org/publications/religion-integral-part-determining-reducing-climate-change-disaster-risk-agenda-research/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Religion: an integral part of determining and reducing the climate change and disaster risk agenda. 2010. https://www.sei.org/publications/religion-integral-part-determining-reducing-climate-change-disaster-risk-agenda-research/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Religion: an integral part of determining and reducing the climate change and disaster risk agenda |date=16 December 2010 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/religion-integral-part-determining-reducing-climate-change-disaster-risk-agenda-research/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2010religion, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Religion: an integral part of determining and reducing the climate change and disaster risk agenda}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2010}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/religion-integral-part-determining-reducing-climate-change-disaster-risk-agenda-research/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }