Brian Roewe

In three sweeping executive actions, President Joe Biden set in motion his ambitious climate agenda, directing the federal government to freeze new public oil and natural gas leases, make climate a national security priority and embed environmental justice throughout the executive branch.

A new pastoral guidebook provides a roadmap for pastors, parishes and dioceses to ingrain Pope Francis' encyclical, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home," into their liturgies and the life of their church.

After being sworn in, President Joe Biden signed the instrument for the U.S. to reenter the Paris Agreement. He signed an executive order that revokes the presidential permit for building the Keystone XL pipeline and directs reviews of environment-related executive actions taken by the Trump administration.

Joe Biden's Cabinet has embedded backgrounds in environmental issues throughout its ranks. Faith-based organizations say these prior records raise optimism about the federal response to climate change.

In the U.S., 2021 will mean a new president making up for four years of environmental deregulation under Trump. Globally, it means making up for missed Paris Agreement deadlines delayed by the pandemic.

After two-year student campaign, Creighton is fourth U.S. Catholic university to make public its plan to end coal, oil, gas investment.

EarthBeat talks with Karenna Gore, founder and director of the Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary, in New York City, and James Patton, International Center for Religion & Diplomacy president and CEO, about the critical role religious communities play in mitigating and resolving violent conflict stemming from rising global temperatures.

Two dozen Boston College alumni and supporting groups asked the state attorney general to investigate the school's investment practices related to fossil fuels and possibly compel the school to end them.

Loyola University Chicago unveiled Dec. 14 its new School of Environmental Sustainability, the first environmental sustainability school in the global Jesuit academic network.

The five-year mark for the Paris Agreement is no time to rejoice, but rather recognize "we're not doing well" in achieving its goals to curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit global climate change, top Vatican officials said this week.

On the final day of the Economy of Francesco conference, Pope Francis encouraged participants to respond to "the urgent need for a different economic narrative," while the young adults attending laid out their own ideas for what that vision is.

More than 2,000 young economists and entrepreneurs from 120 countries are meeting to formulate a new economic vision that deemphasizes growth and profit and prioritizes justice, equity and caring for the poor and the common planetary home.

For the second time in 2020, more than 40 faith-based organizations committed to avoiding investments in fossil fuels, pushing the number of Catholic groups making such public pledges to over 200.

As the public sifted through the dense and detailed document on ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, abuse survivors and their advocates called it an important moment that must lead to further action and investigations.

Catholic and environmental activists expressed a guarded optimism that a Biden administration will reorient the country on climate after four years of inaction, but they were well aware of the hurdles he faces.

This moment offers "an opportunity and a grace" for restoration, beginning with religion playing a vital role in nurturing greater respect for creation and one another, cardinal tells conference on Laudato Si'.

Publication puts spotlight on climate crisis, environmental justice and faith

At least a half dozen religious campaigns have homed in on climate change ahead of the election. Will it be enough to motivate the environmental voters — 10 million by one nonpartisan estimate — who didn't vote in 2016?

The new book Faith for Earth: A Call for Action spotlights the shared reverence and responsibility across faiths toward the environment, and their collective resolve to take actions to preserve it.

Archbishop Paul Coakley delivered a plea on behalf of the planet Oct. 1 during a virtual policy briefing the U.S. bishops' conference held for the co-chairs of the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus.