• Introduction


    The world is currently experiencing a climate emergency, confronting the threat of a sixth mass extinction and escalating temperatures caused by human activities. SMC's member organizations actively support initiatives in a world deeply affected by climate change. This, coupled with a significant decline in biodiversity, makes nature vulnerable and obstructs ecosystem recovery, negatively impacting people's livelihoods.

    SMC's perspective on environmental issues is anchored in the belief in God as the creator of the world and humanity. Recognizing that everyone is created in God's image, the collective responsibility is to care for one another and the world. The vision for our work is to foster a world where harmony exists between God and people, among individuals, and with creation. Humans are called upon to cultivate and nurture the world with love and care.

    In pursuit of this vision, SMC and its network strive to integrate a climate perspective into development cooperation, advocating for the sustainable use of resources. The engagement of faith-based actors holds significant importance in driving change. Therefore, SMC and its network should actively participate in being part of the solution.






    • courses

      Click on images to access courses!


          

              


      This course answers the question: What is resilience?  How can it help us think differently? The course also introduces a tool to "think resilience".

      A course on Acro-Ecology in practice.


      • Resources



        A guide on how to integrate an environmental and climate perspective into strategies, programs, and projects.

        Church and Environment - a resource and toolbox from PMU

        Here you find tools and documents to support the assessment and integration of the environment and climate change perspective in Sida's operations.




        WWF's Beliefs and Values Programme


        Environmental impact Assessment by EIA aims to minimize, avoid, or offset the environmental and social impacts of a proposed development project. 

      • Biodiversity

        • Biological diversity - or biodiversity - is the term given to the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms. This diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms. Biodiversity also includes genetic differences within each species - for example, between varieties of crops and breeds of livestock. Yet another aspect of biodiversity is the variety of ecosystems such as those that occur in deserts, forests, wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agricultural landscapes.   

          In each ecosystem, living creatures, including humans, form a community, interacting with one another and with the air, water, and soil around them. Biodiversity provides a large number of goods and services that sustain our lives. Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet - and its people. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration aims to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean. It can help to end poverty, combat climate change and prevent a mass extinction. It will only succeed if everyone plays a part.  

          Trillion Trees, WWF and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have jointly published the first-ever comprehensive guide to tree growing, designed for use by faith groups across the world. Launched in December 2022 at the UN Biodiversity Conference COP15 in Montreal, Canada, the  Tree growing for conservation and ecosystem restoration: A guide for faith-based actors outlines a straightforward and informative step-by-step approach to assist faith groups in planning and implementing tree-growing initiatives and engaging in restoring their local environment to benefit people, nature, and the climate.   

          Further, The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has put together the "Community Organizing Toolkit on http://restoreyourcommunity.org/ Ecosystem Restoration" to equip local change-makers, with the tools, knowledge, and resources necessary to restore ecosystems back to productive, and healthy spaces. In this toolkit, IUCN walks you through the importance of community organizing, offer some potential aspects of your project, present successful examples of community-organized restoration and then clue you into the wealth of tools including online and financial resources. By the end of this toolkit, you'll be ready to take action and restore your local ecosystem. 
           
          It is important to note that this toolkit is for everyone, from the individual looking to restore their backyard or block, to the existing nonprofit looking to make lasting change in their region. Whatever your needs or obstacles may be, where you are in your restoration journey, or what your ultimate goals are, this toolkit will help you take action.