Religion can be a 'lynchpin' for achieving widespread global action on climate change, says psychologist Dr. Paul Bain from
Queensland University of Technology.

This was well-known, of course, but in a two-party system like the United States, where both sides create big umbrellas, it can be easy to assume that because many religious people vote Republican, and more skeptics are Republicans, that religious people must not care about earth. It's as flawed as assuming people who care about abortion in the Democratic party must also be against vaccines and agriculture. 

What is well-known is that a top-down mandate - governments and NGOs and journalists flying off to exotic locations and eating five-course meals while they plan what to tell commoners what to do - no longer works. Instead, a grassroots acceptance must take place. For both GMOs and global warming, 'the science is settled' beratement has done nothing but cause opponents to be more resistant to centralized control.

Plan A, the UN Climate Change Summit in Paris beginning on Monday, may fall short like all of the other meetings have done, when the world's largest polluter - China - dictates it gets a free pass until 2030 while the US must cut its emissions drastically by 2025. Plan B would be communication strategies that tie climate change action to a more caring and ethical society.

With a lack of trust in politicians and environmental groups raking in hundreds of millions of dollars promoting short-term doom, religious leaders could be the ones to most effectively communicate Plan B. 

"Morality and caring are 'bread and butter' concerns for religion so people may be more inclined to listen to the message. Although the world focuses on the science of climate change, religion could now be a lynchpin for achieving widespread action," he said. "Islamic scholars have made clear the need for action and Pope Francis' strong messages on climate change have produced greater concern about climate change among Catholics, especially among those likely to be least convinced about climate change. Research from Yale University found 64 percent of American Catholics said they were worried about global warming after the Pope's messages, up from 53 percent. Evidence like this shows that, while science and religion may compete in providing explanations of the universe, they can be partners in promoting social change."

Dr Bain said local governments could also play a key role in providing ways for local communities to come together at the same time as addressing climate change. "This is not a case of 'think globally, act locally', but actually 'think locally, act locally' with consequences for a global cause.

"We need Plan B because if the alternative is to rely on an international agreement in Paris to save us, we may end up in deeper trouble than we think."