The Center for Earth Ethics works at the intersection of values, ethics and ecology to confront the ecological crisis.
The Center for Earth Ethics grew out of the groundbreaking Religions for the Earth conference held at Union Theological Seminary (UTS) in September 2014, during the United Nations Climate Summit. The conference brought together more than 200 religious and spiritual leaders from around the world to reframe the climate crisis as a moral issue and to galvanize faith-based activism to solve it. The conference followed the historic People’s Climate March and culminated in “Religions for the Earth: A Multifaith Celebration” at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in Morningside Heights.
In the wake of that historic gathering, the Center for Earth Ethics was formed and launched at UTS the following Earth Day in 2015.
CEE encourages necessary changes in our culture and public policy, cultivates a more expansive and inclusive public consciousness, and promotes values that prioritize the well-being of all people and our planet.
We connect with individuals and groups by way of education, convening and movement building through four areas of focus:
Ecology Spirituality & Faith
Indigenous Wisdom, Values & Rights
Environmental Justice & Civic Engagement
Sustainability & Global Affairs
These areas of focus create intersection points that enable CEE to work across sectors and give unique voice to topics such as the Doctrine of Discovery, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Restoration, Faith + Food Systems, Water Ethics, Climate & Health, Freedom to Be: Freedom of Religion and Belief for Indigenous Peoples and Hearing Nature’s Voice: Rights of Rivers, Rights of Nature and Ecocide.
We continue to host annual Climate Justice Trainings and signature Earth Ethics events which bring together faith communities, wisdom traditions, educators and policymakers towards a just future for people and planet.
