ABSTRACT
Climate change, in its present form is largely a consequence of human action on the Earth. Moreover, there has been no other comparable force which has had the impact that humans have had in changing the earths' landscape. This chapter presents a brief overview of climate change and examines the link between nature and Hinduism and the potential role of the religion in combatting climate change. It explores the local response to climate change in South Africa. Hinduism is one of the major world religions. One of the key challenges to climate change is the depletion of forests and by implication the loss of carbon sinks. Alternatively, there is a need for afforestation so as to increase the absorption of carbon dioxide. The arrival of the Arya Samaj in South Africa signalled a movement towards a more vedic, textual based Hindu practise, that was communicated in Sanskrit and tended to be more esoteric.
