Quaker Year of Climate Learning empowers environmental action
Quakers in Britain's year of exploring faith and climate justice has given participants a comprehensive grounding, fostering avenues for collective action.
Through a series of booklets and an online course, dozens of participants explored climate justice together with some setting up independent study groups.
Launched a few months before COP 27, the course coincided with a global commitment to create a fund addressing climate change induced loss and damage, though this fund remains to be filled.
And as the year unfolded, course modules proved sadly timely with, for example, the British government's new focus on carbon capture illustrating module four's discussion of false solutions.
Module five, “Living in right relationship with the Earth", resonated as the scale of pollution of British rivers and oceans was revealed.
The course, focused on the intersection of spiritual reflection and climate justice, offers a foundation which continues to be relevant as circumstances change.
"[This course] has moved me on significantly in terms of the implications of White privilege and consequently reparations," one participant said.
“Our starting point has to be recognition of the multiple debts we now owe, what our economy and culture have extracted from first slavery, then from colonial power, then and now from using up far more than our fair share of fossil fuel power.
“Finally, we have been responsible for much damage to the non-human natural world, and owe it reparations too," they added.
While online sessions run jointly by Quakers in Britain and Quaker study centre Woodbrooke have now finished, the booklets continue to be available online and can be downloaded to read alone or in a discussion group.
“I found the materials highly engaging, and sometimes uncomfortable to read," said one participant, “but alternatives were offered to the current economic models." This gave them hope.
Did you take part in the Exploring Faith and Climate Justice year online or in another way? Please take a moment to tell us your thoughts so that we can keep improving our work.
Answer this survey or contact climatejustice@quaker.org.uk to set up a short conversation.