GreenFaith

GreenFaith
Name	GreenFaith
Type	Nonprofit organization
Founded	1992
Founder	Ruben Werzberger
Headquarters	Jersey City, New Jersey
Area served	International
Focus	Faith-based environmentalism

GreenFaith GreenFaith is an international environmental organization that engages religious leaders, congregations, and faith-based institutions in climate action, ecological restoration, and environmental justice. The organization works across traditions to mobilize communities, influence policy, and provide education and tools for sustainability. GreenFaith links religious values to science-based environmental strategies and collaborates with a wide network of partners across civil society, academia, and public institutions.

History

Founded in 1992 by Ruben Werzberger, GreenFaith emerged alongside other faith-based movements such as the World Council of Churches ecological initiatives, the Laudato Si' era Catholic environmental engagement, and interfaith responses to global summits like the Earth Summit (1992). Early work intersected with campaigns by Friends of the Earth, Sierra Club, and Rainforest Alliance while engaging religious networks including the National Council of Churches in the USA, the Vatican outreach on ecology, and Jewish environmental groups like Hazon. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s GreenFaith connected with climate policy moments including the Kyoto Protocol negotiations and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change conferences such as COP21 in Paris. The organization expanded internationally in the 2010s, forming ties with partners involved in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, civil society coalitions like 350.org, and faith leadership gatherings including events with the World Economic Forum faith leaders programming.

Mission and Programs

GreenFaith's mission aligns religious ethics with scientific initiatives from institutions such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on climate science, while drawing on theological resources from traditions represented by the Anglican Communion, the Roman Catholic Church, the World Sikh Organization, the Islamic Society of North America, and the Union for Reform Judaism. Programmatic offerings include educational curricula comparable to programs by Harvard University environmental centers and training models used by Yale School of the Environment and Columbia Climate School. GreenFaith provides certification for congregations similar to standards from LEED and partners with sustainability planners from city agencies like the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and international municipal networks such as C40 Cities. Its programs integrate frameworks from the United Nations Environment Programme and align with Sustainable Development Goals promoted by the United Nations.

Faith Communities and Interfaith Work

GreenFaith works across religious traditions, engaging leaders from institutions like St. Patrick's Cathedral (New York City), the Sikh Gurdwara of New York, the Al-Aqsa Mosque community actors, and Jewish institutions such as Central Synagogue (New York) and Hebrew Union College. The organization collaborates with ecumenical bodies including the World Council of Churches, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Parliament of the World's Religions, and links to academic partners such as Princeton University, Duke University, and Georgetown University. GreenFaith’s interfaith convenings echo dialogues held by the Carnegie Council and are informed by religious scholarship found at the Harvard Divinity School and the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

Campaigns and Advocacy

GreenFaith has led campaigns that intersect with global advocacy by organizations like Greenpeace, Sierra Club, and 350.org, and has participated in campaigns around fossil fuel divestment alongside institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University, and religious pension funds like the Episcopal Church Pension Fund. Advocacy efforts have targeted policy fora including the United States Congress, the European Parliament, and municipal councils in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Toronto. Campaign work engages with environmental justice coalitions linked to groups like the Poor People's Campaign and policy initiatives related to legislation modeled on elements of the Green New Deal and international agreements like Paris Agreement.

Organization and Leadership

GreenFaith's leadership has included founders and executive directors who liaise with religious networks including the National Council of Churches in the USA, the Catholic Climate Covenant, and the Interfaith Power & Light network. Its organizational model resembles faith-engaged NGOs such as Islamic Relief USA and World Vision in faith outreach, and coordinates with faith-based education programs at institutions like Union Theological Seminary and Claremont School of Theology. GreenFaith staff and advisors often participate in panels at conferences like COP26 and work with policy experts from think tanks including the Brookings Institution and the Center for American Progress.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding for GreenFaith parallels revenue streams common to nonprofits such as grants from foundations including the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation, and philanthropic partnerships similar to those between The Kroger Co. philanthropy arms and faith-based programs. Institutional partnerships include collaboration with academic centers like the Yale Center for Environmental Justice, municipal programs in cities such as Jersey City, and alliances with environmental NGOs including Natural Resources Defense Council and World Resources Institute. Corporate engagement follows models seen with partners like Patagonia (company) while faith institution partnerships mirror relationships held by the Vatican and major denominational bodies such as the United Methodist Church.

Category:Environmental organizations