Photo of the snow-covered roof of a church with a cross at the roofline.

Christian groups urged to use lawsuits as tools in the fight against climate change

Faith groups are being encouraged to take polluters and their financial backers to court as part of a growing push for climate justice.

Isabella Kaminski reports for The Guardian.

In short:

The World Council of Churches released a handbook urging Christian communities to pursue legal action against fossil fuel companies and the institutions that support them.
The handbook emphasizes that litigation can not only enforce accountability but also shift public discourse and policy on climate.
Lawsuits already in development include possible U.S. cases against major emitters for smoke damage from wildfires, backed by faith-based legal strategists.

Key quote:

“We hope to see a proliferation of legal action across the world on moral grounds.”

— Frederique Seidel, senior program lead on children and climate, World Council of Churches

Why this matters:

Across the U.S. and around the world, faith communities are stepping into the climate fight not just with prayer, but with legal action. Rooted in principles of stewardship and moral responsibility, churches are joining or spearheading lawsuits against major polluters, arguing that the damage done to vulnerable communities and ecosystems is not only unlawful but immoral. These cases are tapping into centuries-old religious teachings about care for creation and love for neighbor, giving spiritual weight to battles typically waged in scientific or policy arenas.

As the effects of climate change grow more dire — from wildfire smoke choking cities to coastal towns watching tides inch higher — congregations are increasingly framing these crises as justice issues. That framing resonates in places where government protections are slow, weakened, or absent altogether. In many cases, churches are standing in for communities who lack political or financial clout, underscoring the role of civil society when regulatory systems falter. The courtroom, it seems, is becoming a new kind of pulpit.

www.theguardian.com

Christian groups urged to use lawsuits as tools in the fight against climate change

EPA shifts scientists from research to chemical approvals, raising alarm over independence

Hawaii moves to sue Big Oil over climate costs; Trump administration strikes first

How fragile power grids and extreme weather combined to cause Europe’s biggest blackout in decades

Most North American bird species are declining as once-safe habitats falter

Trump accelerates environmental rollbacks at unprecedented pace in first 100 days

Trump administration moves to eliminate $2.4 billion in environmental justice grants

Canada’s new prime minister backs fossil fuels while promising Indigenous partnerships

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.