EarthBeat Weekly: Most U.S. Catholics agree on duty to protect the Earth, finds new Pew poll

Most U.S. Catholics agree on duty to protect the Earth, finds new Pew poll Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change February 28, 2025   Storm clouds approach a church in Mequon, Wisconsin, on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020. (AP/Morry Gash) A new Religious Landscape Study by Pew Research Center provides an in-depth look at the role of religion in many aspects of American life, including climate and the environment.  Among the questions it asked to almost 37,000 Americans were ones about climate change, whether humans have a God-given duty to protect the Earth or just to use it, and whether stricter environmental regulations are worth the cost. Survey questions designed to distinguish a "stewardship" mindset (protect the Earth) from a "dominionist" one (use the Earth) found that while many Americans hold both views, Catholics were more likely to agree with the statement that "God gave humans a duty to protect and care for the Earth," a sentiment that aligns with Catholic social teaching made clear in Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si'.  According to the survey, U.S. Catholics' views on environmental regulations and climate change mirror that of the broader public, said Becka Alper, senior researcher at Pew Research Center. Most U.S. Catholics and most Americans overall say that stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost and that the Earth is getting warmer due to human activity.  "There is not a lot of variation among Catholics in their views on environmental regulations in terms of race or age," Alper told EarthBeat in an email, "but Republican Catholics, like the Republicans overall, are more likely to say stricter laws cost too many jobs and hurt the economy, while Democratic Catholics, along with Democrats overall, are more likely to say regulations are worth the cost."  When it comes to climate change, Alper said the survey found that "Asian and Hispanic Catholics are more likely than White Catholics to say the Earth is warming mostly because of human activity" while "younger Catholics are more likely than older Catholics to say the Earth is warming mainly due to human activity." Politically, "Republican Catholics [were] less likely to say the Earth is warming due to human activity compared with Democratic Catholics," Alper said. Read more: US Catholics support progressive policies on 'culture war' issues, new study finds An earlier 2023 Pew Research Center poll found U.S. Catholics to be more motivated by climate news than other Americans. And a 2022 Pew Research Center survey showed that religious Americans worried less about climate change than non-religious ones (which remained true in the newest study). Going further back, a 2015 Pew Research Center survey showed similar partisan trends of political affiliation, rather than religion, corresponding to Americans' views on climate and related issues as were found in the recent survey. Beyond Pew, other surveyors have looked at Catholics' views on climate change and environmental justice. Last year, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University found that 62% of Catholics believed climate change will personally harm them at some point, though just one third had heard of Laudato Si'.     What else is new on EarthBeat:   21 bishops join scientists, activists to sign letter against oil exploration in Brazil by Eduardo Campos Lima A group of 100 scientists, environmentalists, social activists and Catholics — including 21 bishops — released a public letter Feb. 18 criticizing the Lula administration's plans for oil exploration near the Amazon River.   Will climate goals survive dismantling of Biden-era green initiatives? by Kimberley Heatherington, OSV News Among President Trump's more than 70 executive orders since the beginning of his second term are those involving withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the freezing of "clean energy" project funds in the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.    Stop the slop! Give up AI for Lent. by Scott Hurd If, like me, you're worried about the increasing environmental threats from use of artificial intelligence, I have a proposal: Let's give up needless and frivolous AI for the 40 days of Lent.   What's happening in other climate news: Mass layoffs begin at NOAA, with hundreds said to be fired in one day —Christopher Flavelle, Austyn Gaffney, Camille Baker and Ana Swanson for The New York Times EPA would shrink to 1970 staffing levels—'when the skies were dark with smog'—under proposed plan —Marianne Lavelle for Inside Climate News Scientists scorn EPA push to say climate change isn't a danger, say just look around at the world —Seth Borenstein for the Associated Press Legal snags could foil Trump's climate and air pollution rollbacks —Sean Reilly for E&E News BP shuns renewables in return to oil and gas —Simon Jack and Faarea Masud for BBC News Morocco urges people to not buy sheep for Eid al-Adha celebrations —Sam Metz and Akram Oubachir for the Associated Press First global study of the extraordinary role of animals as architects of Earth —Warren Cornwall for Anthropocene How do you survive the end of the world? Oscar-nominated 'Flow' offers an answer — through the eyes of a cat —Sachi Kitajima Mulkey for Grist   Final Beat: For Lent this year, NCR will share some of our favorite meatless meals. On Ash Wednesday and each Friday of the Lenten Season, subscribers to the EarthBeat Reflections newsletter will receive a recipe in their inbox with a brief anecdote from a member of the NCR staff about why this meal is a favorite around their table. We'll also include links to archival content about the connection between dietary decisions and their impact on the planet. Plus, if you sign up now, you'll also receive EarthBeat's other email reflection series throughout the year. Thanks for reading EarthBeat. Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org     Featured Advertisers   Through courses, community programs, and formation offerings, the CSTM seeks to apply theological knowledge in service of a more just world.    Advertisement