Australian Religious Response to Climate Change Western Australia (ARRCC WA)
Climate and Faith Background Questionnaire

To introduce ourselves...

ARRCC is a multi-faith, member-based organization of people from around Australia who are committed to taking action on climate change. We bring together representatives from all the major faith traditions to work together in addressing climate change.

We recognise that climate change is not only a scientific, environmental, economic and political issue – it is also a profoundly moral and spiritual one. The Earth's ecosystems are intrinsically precious and beautiful and deserve protection and the wellbeing of human beings is dependent on ecological flourishing. It is also the vulnerable people of the world who are most impacted by climate change.

We believe that as people dedicated to the common good, inspired by our beliefs and energized by our spirituality, people of all faiths can and should be at the forefront of creating a safe climate. While celebrating the uniqueness of our different traditions, we stand together in working for an ecologically and socially sustainable future.

ARRCC WA (our state's chapter of ARRCC) is an interfaith collective organization working to understand, educate, and act on climate change in WA. We are striving with this questionnaire to understand how people of faith in our state view the climate crisis. This questionnaire is purposed to provide us with general information only. The answers we gather will not be considered as being representative (statistically or otherwise) of any particular faith's views, but rather the personal views of individual responders. It will also not be published in any manner that would depict the results as representing official view of any Faith. We also have no ability to identify people who respond to this questionnaire, so your privacy is protected. We are merely hoping to understand what people of faith may be thinking about this issue. You can learn more about ARRCC at www.arrcc.org.au. Thank you in advance for your honest and thoughtful answers to the following 12 questions.

Question Title

* 1. Are you a member of a Faith Community in WA?

Catholic

First Nations Spirituality

Uniting Church

Anglican

Penteacostal/Charismatic Christian

Greek Orthodox

Presbyterian and Reformed

Baptist

Seventh Day Adventist

Jehovah's Witness

Latter Day Saints

Quaker

Spiritualist

Islamic

Buddhist

Hindu

Jewish

Baha'i

Sikh

Other Christian

Unaffiliated/Agnostic

Non-affiliated but spiritual

Other

Question Title

* 2. Are you in a leadership role in your faith community?

Yes

Question Title

* 3. In your opinion, climate change primarily is (tick as many boxes as apply):

a political issue

a scientific issue

a spiritual issue

a moral and ethical issue

a 'made up' or 'fake' economic issue to redistribute funds

an economic issue because it will take money to solve

a personal and private responsibility issue

I don't have an opinion about this

Question Title

* 4. In your understanding, is the earth's climate changing adversely?

Yes, but it is not caused by humans

Yes, and it is mostly being caused by humans

No, it isn't really changeing

Question Title

* 5. What climate related attitudes and actions do you see in your faith community (tick as many boxes as apply)?

It is a central topic of discussion and concern among our faith community members

It is rarely or never a topic of discussion and concern among our faith community members

We explictly and often consider the environmental and climate impacts of our events and actions

We only seldom or never consider the environmental and climate impacts of our events and actions

A few of our members participate in climate action (e.g., life-style changes, letter writing, protests, divestment from fossil fuels, and so on)

Many of our members participate in climate action

I have never heard climate action discussed in our faith community by our leaders

I have sometimes heard climate action discussed in our faith community by our leaders

I have often heard cliamte action discussed in our faith community by our leaders

Question Title

* 6. Are you aware of the extent to which your faith's traditions and scriptures explicitly include responsibility for the care of the earth and its creatures?

Not really/unsure

It is only mentioned to a small extent

Very explicitly and it something we all take very seriously

Very explicitly but we don't take it seriously enough

It is likely an issue that will be of increasing study and concern for us as part of our scripture and tradition

It is mentioned, but we have much bigger issues facing us first

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. To what extent does the science of climate change (as you currently understand it) appear in harmony with the teaching of your spiritual tradition?

No conflict/difficulty

Some conflict/difficulty

Major conflict/difficulty

I don't know enough to say

Question Title

* 8. If you think action on climate is needed, what type of actions in your opinion are appropriate for people of your faith (tick all that apply)?

None, they should refrain from being involved as the issue is too divisive

Be an active and informed voter on the issue

Join in protests and petitions

Talk about and educate ourselves about the issue

Work to become more connected with nature as the source of our food, shelter, health, and wellbeing

Lobby and try to positively influence governmental decisions

Make personal lifestyle changes and decisions to stop the climate changing adversely

Make changes in our community/ within our organization

Take an active role in general community leadership and education as a faith community

I just don't know

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 9. How do you feel about your faith community's involvement in climate change/crisis?

We should be more involved

We are doing well generally and doing our part

We are too involved and giving the issue too much focus

I am unsure how to answer

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 10. Are you taking individual action for the environment (tick all that apply)?

Recycling

Trying to save water

Installing solar

Buying an electric car

Eating less meat

Replaceing gas appliances in your home

None of the above

All of the above and more

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 11. Would you see benefit in people of your faith working with people of other faiths on climate change?

Yes

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 12. Would you be interested in hearing more from ARRCC WA and exploring the potential of working together?

(if yes contact us at: arrccwa@msn.com)

Yes (and I'll send you an email)

No (but thanks for asking)

Australian Religious Response to Climate Change Western Australia (ARRCC WA)Climate and Faith Background Questionnaire

To introduce ourselves...

Question Title

* 1. Are you a member of a Faith Community in WA?

Question Title

* 2. Are you in a leadership role in your faith community?

Question Title

* 3. In your opinion, climate change primarily is (tick as many boxes as apply):

Question Title

* 4. In your understanding, is the earth's climate changing adversely?

Question Title

* 5. What climate related attitudes and actions do you see in your faith community (tick as many boxes as apply)?

Question Title

* 6. Are you aware of the extent to which your faith's traditions and scriptures explicitly include responsibility for the care of the earth and its creatures?

Question Title

* 7. To what extent does the science of climate change (as you currently understand it) appear in harmony with the teaching of your spiritual tradition?

Question Title

* 8. If you think action on climate is needed, what type of actions in your opinion are appropriate for people of your faith (tick all that apply)?

Question Title

* 9. How do you feel about your faith community's involvement in climate change/crisis?

Question Title

* 10. Are you taking individual action for the environment (tick all that apply)?

Question Title

* 11. Would you see benefit in people of your faith working with people of other faiths on climate change?

Question Title

* 12. Would you be interested in hearing more from ARRCC WA and exploring the potential of working together?(if yes contact us at: arrccwa@msn.com)

Australian Religious Response to Climate Change Western Australia (ARRCC WA)
Climate and Faith Background Questionnaire

* 12. Would you be interested in hearing more from ARRCC WA and exploring the potential of working together?

(if yes contact us at: arrccwa@msn.com)