ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the advocacy work and strategies of religious RNGOs (RNGO) inside that organization. Some RNGOs–particularly faith-based development organizations with a long record of action at United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)–regularly work with other civil society bodies to produce reports and policy papers through which technical expertise is channelled into negotiations. Many religious NGOs, particularly those from Christian traditions, have ties to actual churches and their members. Despite the differences in organizational form and religious representation, RNGOs of all denominations have begun to collaborate more closely on global climate change governance. Examination of submissions and statements by RNGOs reveals a particular linguistic style: in contrast to the more technical, scientific parlance of most secular NGOs, the language of religious actors tends markedly towards the moral and ethical. The chapter concludes with possible reasons for the similarities and differences between religious and secular NGOs in the context of the UNFCCC.
