While the world's major religions have been, until recently, relatively voiceless in the environmental debate, it is being shown that they can represent a very powerful voice for environmental stewardship.
This is why the World Bank cooperates with the major faiths as partners. In doing so, we follow the example set by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) International, from whose work arose a network of faith groups working on ecological and development issues. In 1995, a new NGO was launched, the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), dedicated to facilitating and enlarging this work. The World Bank was represented at that launch and has been engaged with ARC ever since.
The 11 faiths that now make up ARC represent two-thirds of the world's population. They own around 7 percent of the habitable surface of the planet, they have a role in 54 percent of all schools, and their institutional share of the investment market is in the range of 6–8 percent. They are serious stakeholders in development.  | | NEW: Listening to the Earth: An Environmental Audit for Benedictine Communities This book is relevant to an audience far greater than the 300+ Benedictine monasteries and their large associated communities in urban and rural Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Indeed, adaptations are being planned for African Muslim
communities and for Buddhist communities in Asia. Throughout their history the Benedictines have had a close connection with land and its stewardship. As written in the Preface: "For Benedictines, an environmental audit is not a fad. It is not a social nicety. It is certainly not an option. It is simply a contemporary manifestation of an ancient commitment to the rhythm of the earth, the needs of the community, and the God of Creation". Download English version (1.1 mb pdf)
Spanish version (1.2 mb pdf)
Portuguese version (1.2 mb pdf) |
 | | Faiths and the Environment: World Bank Support 2000-05 This report outlines a broad range of examples of how over the last five years the World Bank has been able to provide support to those people whose spiritual beliefs lead them to environmental actions as part of the expression of their faith. Download Full Report (6.11 mb pdf) |
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