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Highlighting Interfaith Responses to Climate Anxiety

In 2021, within the United States alone, over 47 million people expressed living with a mental health condition, a 1.5 million increase from the previous year’s State of Mental Health Report. The confluence of crises – from conflict to economic instability to climate change – have spread a sense of fear, anxiety and loss of hope in many people’s lives. Faith based organizations have traditionally played a key role in maintaining a sense of community, hope, and trust, however, may require retooling to address the magnitude of the challenge at hand.

Additionally, in 2021’s Next Generation Climate Survey, 83% of Generation Z reported concern about their future, in relation to climate change. Simultaneously, their ability to impact policies related to climate actions is limited by their resources, time, expertise and existing commitments to their education, development and mental-wellbeing. This amalgamation of concern, paired with inability to see meaningful change on a systems level, has left many young individuals with a pervasive sense of hopelessness, despair, and dread: climate anxiety.

This panel brings together representatives from diverse faith groups, to be in conversation with mental health experts, to unpack the critical opportunity that faith leaders have in their communities to help individuals suffering from climate anxiety access mental health resources, address climate grief, cultivate healthy support structures to build resilience towards eco-dread.

Note: this event will not be livestreamed.

Location: Tzu Chi Center
229 E 60th St.
New York, NY 10022

Learn more at tzuchicenter.org/ClimateWeekNYC.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Mental Health, please visit ngomentalhealth.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns/NY, please visit csvgc-ny.org.

Climate Investment Summit 2021: Accelerating Green Investments

Climate Investment Summit 2021 is a leading summit aimed at increasing investments in climate and green recovery – built on the experience of practitioners, best practice business models and cross-sector collaboration.

Read full program here.

The Climate Investment Summit is a pivotal milestone in the Climate Investment Coalition’s investment roadmap leading to a historical COP26 and beyond. The Summit will showcase the UK’s leading global position, commitment to net zero and the investment opportunities that this provides across the whole of the UK to catalyse billions of pounds of investment for the Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution.

Participate virtually here: climateinvestmentsummit.org

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. 

Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition

Convened by the Government of Italy and building on the success of the 2019 UN Youth Climate Summit, the event will take place from 28 to 30 September and provide young delegates an unprecedented opportunity to put forward ideas and concrete proposals on some of the most pressing issues on the climate agenda. The first two days will be dedicated to working groups, while the last day will feature a discussion between young delegates and the Ministers attending pre-COP 26.

Interested young people can either:

  • Submit an application by 14 March, detailing the ways they are working with and leading other young people to advance climate action. Experienced young climate leaders are encouraged to submit their application for a chance to be one of two young people representing their country in Milan.
  • Enter the #SumItUp Competition, by submitting a creative sum-up of their favorite #Youth4ClimateLive episode before the 31 March deadline. Youth with creative communication skills and digital storytelling experience are invited to enter the #SumItUp Competition, where one winner will be chosen to travel to Milan and participate in the Youth4Climate event.

The application and the competition provide young people two opportunities to be part of this historic event, whether they are experienced climate activists or just starting their climate advocacy journey. To be eligible to attend, applicants must be between the ages of 15 and 29 and, if selected, all applicants under the age of 18 must be accompanied to the event by a chaperone.

For more information about the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition event and other ways to get involved in advance of COP26, please visit the Government of Italy’s webpage. Or, catch up on past episodes of the Youth4ClimateLive virtual event series at Youth4Climate.Live. Please direct any questions to youthenvoy@un.org.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights-NY, please visit childrightsny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. 

CRNGO Climate Working Group

The regular monthly meeting of the Climate Working Group of the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations will convene on Monday, April 5, at 9:00am EST.

For the first hour, members will engage in a briefing on participation at UNFCCC COP. The second hour is reserved for regular meeting business, notes and agenda available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C31WT69qDQGOfkCiBFgY6zLRNmLUsSFUJsABDJwiGrs/edit

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://bic-org.zoom.us/j/94681006298?pwd=Si9JWDlWR0FWVU1sRVdBbHNOTW5kZz09

(ID: 94681006298, passcode: P95Qhq)

Join by phone
(US) +1 646-558-8656 (passcode: 841336)
(AU) +61 7 3185 3730 (passcode: 841336)

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief, please visit unforb.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns-NY, please visit csvgc-ny.org.

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