Religion as an integral part of determining and reducing climate change and disaster risk: An agenda for research

This chapter explores the role that religious belief plays in the context of risk, with an aim to contributing a new aspect of the growing research agenda on the topic. While research can be found on the topics of perceptions and risk, the role of faith in the recovery process following a disaster, religious explanations of nature, and the role of religion in influencing positions on environment and climate change policy, little of this provides guidance to policy and decision makers about how to take belief systems into account when assessing vulnerability and designing policy, projects and programmes on disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change.

The discussion in this chapter suggests that religion could contribute both to determining and reducing vulnerability to climate change and disaster risk. It draws on evidence from El Salvador, where religious beliefs define not only perceptions of floods and droughts, but also characterise reactions and responses to the hazards, including whether or not preventive or preparedness measures are taken.

The case study provides a concrete example of the complexity of belief systems, and shows that political ideology and beliefs can be difficult to distinguish from one another. Religion has been a strong force in improving the lives of many poor, but this chapter suggests that different religious interpretations of disasters may also be detrimental to sustainable development. The chapter concludes with a discussion about research areas to take forward.