Radical collaboration across faith and secular spaces

Story telling continued to be a running theme behind the ‘how to’ of collaboration across religious and sectoral lines, with grassroots women’s activism raising, time and again, the wisdom of Indigenous customs and traditions as game-changing for climate justice efforts. Strengths of radical collaboration including a simultaneity of the following: seeking to work with communities where they are at; harvesting customs and traditions of living and communicating while working alongside one another, as communities appreciative of common concerns; a relative sense of comfort with matriarchal cultures and women making decisions; the courage to be critical – and constructively so – with established educational institutions, including those related to/with religious, tribal, and religious leadership; and working in an intersectional manner, due to a deep rooted conviction that all living beings and systems, are ultimately interconnected. By working together across differences, learning to articulate injustices more powerfully, looking for solutions within respective communities, as well as insisting on more concrete and holistic recommendations and actions, are collateral outcomes.

Radical collaboration across diverse sectors also requires – and entails as outcomes – realising that religious and faith leaders are indeed trusted by many communities, but also understanding that solutions are not only within any one religion, or religious community. For instance, the Laudato Si Encyclical of Pope Francis, is a Catholic manifesto to which a global organisation/movement (LSM) is dedicated (with more than 60% of their Animators being women incidentally). Yet this still requires ‘all hands on board’ to realise its call, which is intended for the whole of creation. Similarly, the Sustainable Development Goals, even if owned and served by all Muslim or Hindu or other religious communities, cannot be accomplished without systematic partnerships across the multiple spectra of institutions and peoples.

But radical collaboration for climate justice (and any other common interest) also necessitates appreciating that not all religion is ‘all good’, nor ‘all bad’. Being cognisant of how religion can be used as a tool to perpetuate oppression (and some religions originated and remain operative within colonial frameworks) – entails an implacable commitment to work with local religious institutions, organisations and communities, to equipping local faith leaders while also holding them accountable to shared values, to collaboration with secular entities,  operating procedures, and insisting that the ultimate standard of accountability, is human rights. Radical collaboration also demands that in acknowledging the good power of religion, engaging with diverse women of faith, is neither optional, nor an add on to configure after the male religious leaders are gathered and mobilised: working with women of faith alongside male religious leaders, is a sine qua non.  In the words of Mary Robinson, “placing gender justice at the heart of the issues of nature and climate justice – and indeed every other issue – is a must… for it to be radical collaboration”.

The willingness to listen and to collaborate, is by no means new. What the discussions pointed to that was novel, however, is that radical collaboration is about “a commitment to “mutually reinforce one another, and… to “lean on one another. By learning from one another’s stories, a healing is made possible through sharing real-life stories”. The stories also “reach the hearts of decision-makers”.

This form of solidarity extends to sharing knowledge, data, building evidence, sharing language and strategies that worked (the stories), mindful presence in male-dominated spaces (and indeed insistence on supporting one another to be at these myriad male-dominated policy tables and meetings).

Given the geopolitical background to the conversation, including the war in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon, radical collaboration also entails the courage to raise challenging issues which may well be against the status quo, and also to pause for moments of reflection in safe spaces, so as to have some difficult conversations.

While divesting from fossil fuels is understood and agreed to be contentious and yet necessary for our climate, having difficult conversations also entails an acknowledgement of the “unfolding brutality involving militarism, which is killing all life”. Otherwise, the challenge was raised in a rhetorical question: “what happens when religion is hijacked by a minority, to justify atrocities which culminate in significant environmental damage?”

There was a consensus that “we are most effective when we speak authentically from a faith perspective”. At the same time, it is important to be conscious of a dominant Christian-centric worldview – one of the colonial legacies – which tends to be a feature of interfaith spaces. This also necessitates a more nuanced sensitivity to the beliefs and value-systems of other religions. Multi-faith action is acknowledged to be both a complex and complicated endeavour. At the same time, as with many faith-based efforts, men dominate interfaith settings, discourse and spaces. All the more need to raise awareness about the strategic value-added of interfaith women’s efforts, as these draw from the wisdoms of diverse faiths.

Faith-based representatives noted that their collective participation in climate related conversations, programmes, and in diverse fora, have contributed to shifting the discussion on funding among state parties, to be inclusive of the need for resources which mitigate transitions (to eco-friendly policies and procedures). Other examples of achievements of multi-religious radical collaborations around climate change were shared, including organising plenaries and exhibitions at the COPs which showcase diverse religious positions and contributions to climate change efforts, and offer opportunities to lobby governmental and business representatives; working to raise resources from within their own organisations, to enable them to serve as advisors to multilateral entities; providing in-kind support through offering meeting venues at little or no cost; training religious leaders to prepare for and respond together to climate related disasters; and contributing towards the realisation of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 in United States federal law (which aims to reduce the federal government budget deficit, lower prescription drug prices, and invest in domestic energy production while promoting clean energy).

Successful radical collaboration examples involving secular and multireligious actors include partnering with UNEP on initiatives at country, regional and global levels to equip religious leaders with the means to become climate change leaders; working with UNICEF and multi-religious coalitions to enable religious leaders to steward positive and transformative behavioural change for children in times of health crisis; success in securing funding from the private sector as part of the latter’s obligation to Corporate Social Responsibility; working to build bridges between the world of science and leaders of faith; and working ecumenically on climate litigation for children’s rights with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

A claim to serve as “prophetic voices” and a commitment to lead by example are also aspects of the radical willingness to collaborate and to communicate. Moreover, in spite of the urgency of the situation, faith-inspired actors typically have a relatively more long-term view of collaboration – and “having faith that we are planting the seeds even without knowing the outcome… as opposed to the ‘immediate gratification’ often hoped for”. To that end, tapping into existing efforts, rather than constantly seeking to start anew, especially given the wealth of initiatives already afoot, was also specifically identified as strategically wise (and cost effective). An example is the Climate Map as an already existing tool which need not be replicated (even though efforts to ‘map vulnerable’ communities tend to be repeatedly advocated for) but should have the faith-related efforts added to.

Similarly, educating funders, and having the courage to push back even when their resources may be sorely needed, are part of the strategic courage some spoke to. It is no coincidence that there is an intersection between nondemocratic and/or outright corrupt political regimes, and a deepening of the effects of the climate crisis. There is, therefore, a need to strengthen democratic thought and praxis, as well as democratic institutions.

There are two ‘schools of thought’ about radical collaboration between faith-based NGOs and non-faith based actors and organisations. One way of thinking believes it is necessary to make an effort to “meet the language” of secular actors. Another approach refuses to be “burdened with sanitizing our messages for secular organisations”. While these views are in tension, this does not necessarily translate into hostility in ongoing collaboration.

While raising women’s voices and interests are common threads, radical collaboration across diverse sectors also entails appreciating the strategic necessity of working ‘behind the scenes’. Some spoke to ‘fronting’ their respective organisational leadership (especially male) to advocate for the policies and/or practices that uphold women’s needs and align with their visions, or making sure to fully brief, and train, members of formal delegations attending major international events, so that the wisdom required is shared by all, rather than retained by any one person or distinct group of experts.

Radical collaboration also demands listening, engaging, and seeking partnerships with youth. While the largest youth organisations in the world are actually faith-based (with the Catholic ones usually superseding others in organisation, size and ease of identification), youth movements, groups, and individual actors are powerful drivers of climate change mobilization all over the world. The tired cliché that ‘youth will inherit this earth from us’ was debunked in favour of a narrative that recognised that youth are already critical counterparts in the struggle to save this planet. Another critical nuance was mentioned by one of the participating organisations: youth in/from faith movements are often a powerful antidote to the endemic patriarchy within religious institutions. Some participants mentioned initiatives to provide youth with fellowships (which bring together young people from different religious backgrounds to jointly learn and reflect on working for climate change efforts) as well as mentorship by women of faith leaders. It was noted that young people from religious communities tend, by and large, to be “far more open to elevate women of faith…be keen on collaborating across religious lines and are relatively dynamic and creative in doing so”.

Young people can point out the moral urgency which motivates religious leaders to change traditional norms (for example, in Pakistan, Kenya and Cameroon). But while religious leaders tend to understand the urgency of enacting environmental stewardship, there is a need to continue the intergenerational and gender sensitive dialogues which clarify how these realities intersect, link this to the scientific data, and consider (and facilitate) the targeted lobbying and advocacy required with policy makers.

The journey of, and towards, radical collaboration also requires pointing out some cautionary points. Undermining the method(s) and tools of other parties, even those appearing diametrically opposed to deemed common interest(s), can work against the discernment and the respect that radical collaboration requires. “We need to be open to the words, and the means, of those who oppose aspects of climate change we think are absolutely necessary…If we do not listen and observe, we risk neglecting opportunities for much needed dialogue(s), and for necessary critical self-reflection, all of which can strengthen our own efforts”.

Last but by no means least, radical collaboration was spelled out in a manner that only seasoned women activists for justice, can do. Far from merely challenging the status quo within the bounds of what is deemed acceptable norms and/or adherence to ‘the rules’, radical collaboration requires being “disruptive”, “difficult” and “improper”. “An alliance of Difficult and Improper Women” was articulated in the plenary, to a chorus of nodding heads and warm smiles. In the spirit of honesty, courage and humour which this gathering exemplified, it is worthwhile noting that the organisers’ focus on securing what is “doable”, “actionable” and “scalable”, may well align with these characteristics of radical collaboration needed to save our planet.