Sacred Ocean, Shared Responsibility: Faith-Based Approaches to Ocean Action
This report examines how faith communities worldwide are advancing marine conservation and ocean protection through approaches that harmonize spiritual values with environmental science.
With case studies spanning diverse religious traditions—from Islamic hima zones in Zanzibar, to Hindu turtle guardianship in India, to Buddhist dolphin protection in Cambodia, to Catholic fisher networks in Brazil, to Jewish Reverse Tashlich cleanups, and to Indigenous Polynesian rāhui systems—this report demonstrates how faith-based approaches achieve what purely secular efforts often cannot.
INSIDE THE REPORT
11 detailed case studies from diverse faith traditions.
10 inner principles connecting spiritual values with marine conservation.
Policy recommendations for faith communities, conservation organizations, governments, and international bodies.
Strategic pathways for scaling faith-based approaches to ocean conservation.
KEY FINDINGS
The report reveals six distinctive mechanisms that make faith-based conservation especially effective:
• Ritual innovation accelerates behavior change
• Nested authority systems enhance compliance
• Visible measurement creates spiritual motivation
• Religious identity creates economic alternatives
• Faith institutions provide physical infrastructure
• Institutional continuity transcends political cycles
Together, these mechanisms transform ocean conservation from temporary interventions to enduring transformations.
