Event Highlights: “The Moral Case for Saving the Planet: Regional Perspectives” Panel Discussion
On November 16, the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and Boston University Global Programs hosted a panel titled “The Moral Case for Saving the Planet: Religious Perspectives on Climate Change.”
A combined effort by BU Global Programs and the Division of Regional Studies (the division that comprises the BU centers and programs dedicated to the study of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, the Muslim societies, and culture and religion), the event consisted of a panel discussion that explored regional perspectives on climate change—the European perspective, African perspective, the Asian perspective, and the global South perspective.
With Robert Hefner, professor of anthropology and director of the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs at Boston University as moderator, and Dean Mary Elizabeth Moore of the School of Theology as discussant, each panel speaker brought their own diverse viewpoint to form a multifaceted discussion examining the implications climate change has on the world.
Henrik Selin, professor of international relations at Pardee School of Global Studies and Director of Curricular Innovation for the Pardee School, spoke from the perspective of Europe. He explained that the concept of the welfare state in northern Europe has absorbed environmentalism in its purpose, noting that Scandinavian countries in particular have taken forward steps in addressing climate change. Selin explains that the citizens of these countries are deeply concerned about the threat of climate change, and while those countries are largely secular, the idea of “sharing the burden” of climate change has serious roots in the European moral framework.
The African perspective was analyzed and presented by professor James McCann, professor of History in BU’s College of Arts and Sciences and Associate Director for Development in the African Studies Center. McCann, a specialist in African agricultural and ecological history, explains that, unlike the European countries that have not strongly felt the impacts of climate change, brisk and erratic climate changes have led to extreme instability in Sub-Saharan African agricultural, seasonally dependent communities. McCann also spoke to the intersection of environmentalism and culture, discoverable by looking at art, language, and religion—a topic that was further expounded upon by Professor Robert Weller during his explaining of the Asian perspective.
Professor Robert Weller, professor of Anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences, shared the Taoist principle, “Do nothing and nothing shall be undone,” in the context of climate change, noting that religions like Taoism (and Buddhism) translate concepts to concrete, regional perspectives. Weller pointed out that the very nature of Taoism requires balance, a concept that is beneficial—perhaps even crucial—when addressing the conflict of climate change, and explained that Buddhism has already proven to be a successful agent in grassroots environmentalism.
Closing the initial speeches was the Dean of Pardee School and professor of International Relations and Earth & Environment, Adil Najam, who spoke on the perspective of the global south. Najam discussed environmentalism in the context of religion, comparing the moral code and rituals involved with environmentalism to the way an organized religion would function. Whether the perspective is religious or secular, Najam argues there are clear morals ingrained in the justice issue of climate change, and unfortunately, it can be difficult to communicate those moral dimensions unless the justice-seeking component of environmentalism supersedes the solely scientific outlook on climate change.
Summarizing some of the major themes of the panel was Dean Mary Elizabeth Moore, Dean of BU’s School of Theology, who concluded that many of the struggles faced in addressing climate change were synonymous, regardless of geographic location. The ultimate recipe for progression includes sharing knowledge, making value, forming connections, and ultimately, taking action.
-Toria Rainey ‘18