EARTHKEEPING NEWS A NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COALITION FOR CHRISTIANITY AND ECOLOGY Volume Fifteen, Number Five Winter 2006-07 The United Nations Embraces Interfaith Environmentalists The Interfaith Partnership for the Environment (IPE) was founded 15 years ago by Dr. John Kirk of the New Jersey School of Conservation and Noel Brown, then Director of United Nations Environment Program in North America (UNEP). IPE’s aim was to engage religious leaders with UNEP’s work in anticipation of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. Leading up to the Summit, IPE created materials for the Environmental Sabbath — liturgical materials distributed mostly in North America. In the wake of the Rio Summit, and in the lead up to the 2002 Johannesburg Summit, IPE produced Earth and Faith, which remains UNEP’s publication introducing the relationship between religion and environment. Over 40,000 copies of this document have been distributed worldwide — again mostly in North America. Throughout its history, IPE has seen itself as a coalition of members of groups from a range of religious traditions who want to facilitate the building of relationships between UNEP and the faith community. IPE in New York is unique in its outreach to a range of religious groups. UNEP’s Latin American office has conducted initial outreach to religious groups on the intersection between ethics and the environment. UNEP-RONA in Washington DC, and UNEP’s Regional Office in Geneva, have participated in briefings for policy-oriented professionals that have included religious voices in support of environmental protection. No other UNEP office has a group similar to IPE. Possible Future IPE activities include: Provide information on significant meetings going on around the world related to environment and religion/environment Identify ways to have IPE represented at various meetings to ensure that the religious voices become a regular part of environmental negotiations and debates Thursday mornings, the UN Department of Public Information hosts a public meeting/briefing; have an IPE representative speak at one of these meetings. Create opportunities for religious leaders to speak publicly on environmental issues in conjunction with UN events in New York City. Report to religious groups on UN ecosystem assessments, other environmental information. Create opportunities to share information on new initiatives on the environment from the religious world. For more information on Interfaith Partnership for the Environment contact Eleanor Rae, Rev. Fletcher Harper, Rabbi Lawrence Troster, or Rev. Franklin Vilas. Home     Table of Contents