A Buddhist Response to the Climate Emergency

Book excerpt: Today, we are confronted by the gravest challenge that humanity has ever faced: the ecological consequences of our collective actions. What role can Buddhism play in our response to this global predicament? Can Buddhist traditions help us meet this challenge successfully? Should we focus on prayer and meditation or social action? This book shows that it's possible to do both. It presents the hard science of global warming and solutions to the crisis from a Buddhist perspective, together with the views of leading contemporary teachers. The Dalai Lama, Chatral Rinpoche, Sakya Trizin, Thich Nhat Hanh, Joanna Macy, Joseph Goldstein, Lin Jensen, and other eminent voices address topics such as peak oil, deforestation, renewable energy, and breaking the addiction to fossil fuels in essays that are both meaningful and mindful. Prayers for the planet, along with steps we can take individually and as a society, offer hope and inspiration.