Faith Affiliation, Religiosity, and Attitudes Towards the Environment and Climate Change

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Disclaimer and Acknowledgments

This paper need not reflect the views of the World Bank, its Executive Director, or the countries they represent. Suggestions from William Dinges, Dennis Hoover, Jill Olivier, and Jorn Sonderholm are gratefully acknowledged.

Notes

1. The issue of environment is addressed directly in seven of the 17 SDGS. In particular: Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, Goal 6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, Goal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, Goal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, Goal 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, Goal 15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

2. In this paper, we do not discuss the difference between religiosity, as measured through the intensity of the religious practices of an individual and the importance subjectively ascribed by the individual to her religion, and salience, which refers to whether an individual’s or a group’s religion as a defining trait of that individual or group that sets it apart from other individuals or groups. The measure of the intensity of the religious practices and beliefs that we construct from the World Values Survey is closer to a measure of religiosity than to a measure of salience.

3. Saroglou, Delpierre, and Dernelle (2004) review studies based on 21 data samples from 15 countries that all refer to the Schwarz model. Overall, the studies suggest with remarkable consistency that religious individuals tend to be more conservative, and less inclined towards values that promote openness to change and autonomy.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Clarence Tsimpo

Clarence Tsimpo is an experienced policy researcher in development economics with a particular interest in poverty and social impact analysis. He holds an M.A. in Statistics, and is completing a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Montreal. Clarence joined the World Bank in 2003 as a consultant and is currently a Senior Economist in the Poverty Global Practice, working to build the evidence base on issues of poverty and service delivery.

Quentin Wodon

Quentin Wodon is a Lead Economist in the Education Global Practice at the World Bank where he leads global programs on equity and inclusion in education, child marriage, and out of school children, as well as country work. Previously, he managed the Bank’s unit working on faith and development, served as Lead Poverty Specialist for West and Central Africa, and as Economist/Senior Economist in the Latin American region. He holds graduate degrees in business engineering, economics, and philosophy, and Ph.D.s in Economics and in Theology and Religious Studies.