As people of faith, we are called to act as stewards of the Earth and now is the perfect time to reflect on how vital this work is for future generations. Interfaith Power & Light congregations nationwide focus on how we can all take action to protect our climate during Faith Climate Action Week for ten days in April.

2023’s Faith Climate Action Week theme is “Living the Golden Rule: Just Transition to a Clean Energy Economy.” During Faith Climate Action Week, we’ll examine our responsibility to transition to energy sources safeguarding our common home and how our faiths call us to respond with just solutions for all. Learn more here: https://vaipl.org/faith-climate-action-week/.

Climate Justice Alliance defines Just Transition as “Just Transition is a vision-led, unifying and place-based set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy. This means approaching production and consumption cycles holistically and waste-free. The transition itself must be just and equitable, redressing past harms and creating new relationships of power for the future through reparations. If the transition process is not just, the outcome will never be. Just Transition describes where we are going and how we get there.” 

Just transition upholds that as we transition our economy away from extractive economies like the fossil fuel industry, we must be purposeful in creating new opportunities for those currently working in extractive industries and for impacted communities. Our hope at Virginia Interfaith Power & Light is to build a future that does not exploit the Earth’s resources and harm our neighbor’s health. 

As people of faith, we are called to care for our neighbors. Empowering the voices of people disproportionately facing climate change impacts is essential to creating a just transition that works for everyone. We can all do our part to protect the Earth during this year’s Faith Climate Action Week. Download the free organizer’s kit here: https://vaipl.org/faith-climate-action-week/.

During Faith Climate Action Week, VAIPL is celebrating Earth Day with coffee! Join us as we host a traditional East African coffee ceremony to reflect on & discuss community, nature, & belonging. Register at https://bit.ly/earthdaycoffee23