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.
Related EHN coverage: Climate Characters: Evangelical communicates science without evangelizing
