Ep. 33 - Francesca de Gasparis - Faith communities and eco-justice
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In this episode we sit down with Francesca de Gasparis, Executive Director of the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) and former director at the Green Belt Movement International. Francesca explains that true "eco-justice" means shifting our worldview from seeing humans at the top of a pyramid to recognizing that we are equal parts of a scientific and spiritual "web of life". She argues that addressing climate change goes far beyond simple recycling; it is a structural challenge deeply intertwined with human dignity, poverty, and systemic inequality.
Drawing from her background as a scientist, Francesca shares why faith communities hold the vital "hearts, minds, and values" needed to mobilize change where science and policy alone fall short. She offers practical, local starting points for congregations - such as starting a community soup kitchen to help vulnerable people adapt to climate impacts - and discusses the concept of "active hope" to help us transmute our despair into the daily courage to heal, restore, and rebuild.
Drawing from her background as a scientist, Francesca shares why faith communities hold the vital "hearts, minds, and values" needed to mobilize change where science and policy alone fall short. She offers practical, local starting points for congregations - such as starting a community soup kitchen to help vulnerable people adapt to climate impacts - and discusses the concept of "active hope" to help us transmute our despair into the daily courage to heal, restore, and rebuild.
