Soka Gakkai International UK (SGI-UK)

SGI-UK is a socially engaged Buddhist lay organisation with members in 192 countries and territories. It has a long history of exploring issues around the environment, biodiversity and the climate crisis, as well as advocating for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Together with the Centre for Applied Buddhism SGI-UK has been organising monthly webinars to educate, explore and discuss issues around the climate crisis towards COP26. These events promote the fundamental Buddhist concept of ‘interrelatedness’, the interdependence and interconnectedness of all life, and intend to inspire hope and action for change.

“As the recent IPCC report starkly shows, we are facing an unprecedented climate and ecological emergency and this decade is crucial in turning the tide of humankind’s behaviour. We all have a powerful responsibility to take individual and collective action to keep the world below 1.5 degrees warming. The government has a moral obligation to legislate for and move finance towards a transformation to a just and sustainable society, to end all subsidies of fossil fuel and to support renewable energy instead, to fund public transport and electrification, support sustainable food production and farming as well as rewilding projects. In addition, we call upon the government to lead the way in finding new and additional sources of finance for climate-related loss and damage for people and societies already impacted by both slow-moving climate change, such as sea level rises, as well as extreme weather conditions.”