Media platform Devex has highlighted the work of FaithInvest in a feature article discussing the role that faith-based finance plays in the fight against climate change.
Devex is a platform targeted largely at the global development community, reaching in excess of 730,000 professionals a month via its newsletters, and delivering more than 1.5 million page views.
A recent article featured on the platform explored the role that faith can play in climate action, acknowledging first that faith groups have often been overlooked in the past. The view of environmental campaigners has changed in recent years, however, as they've come to realise just how much faiths can bring to the table.
The article quotes FaithInvest Director of Movement Building Lorna Gold as identifying Pope Francis' recent call to action as a major catalyst for action. She says the appeal to the international community to 'raise their ambition' has helped encourage faith groups to realise they need to do more than point the finger of blame at governments; they need to examine how they can take action for themselves.
This line of thinking is the driving philosophy behind FaithInvest's Faith Plans project – an unprecedented channelling of multi-faith energies to address the urgent global need for action on climate change – with faiths creating plans to use their assets and investments for people and planet.
'Faith communities hold significant assets,' the article quotes Money Makes Change National Programme Manager Rosie Venner as saying. 'With this comes a duty to invest responsibly and consider the impact of those investments on the neighbours we are called to serve, locally and globally, and on future generations.'
The Devex article goes on to examine a number of specific examples of faiths using their resources and influence to drive positive change, such as with the work of the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance, or the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
'Faith money is very brave money,' the article quotes Vita's Ciara Feehely as saying. 'It quantifies social impact as part of the return.'
To read the article in full, visit the Devex website.
Faiths Rising: Climate Action Beyond COP26
Meanwhile, Faith Plans will be hosting an online event on Thursday December 16 at 19.00 GMT, discussing how faith organisations can carry forward the momentum of COP26.
Join the Faith Plans team for an evening of reflection on what next for climate action post-COP26. We will hear how the faiths are major stakeholders in the planet, and how faiths around the world are creating Faith Plans designed to realign their assets – investments, land, building, educational and medical institutes and their lifestyles – as part of the Faith Plans programme.
To learn more about this free event and register to attend click here.