The Biden administration is set to spend between $70,000 and $100,000 on a little-known program teaching religious leaders in Pakistan how to fight climate change, federal funding documents show.
The taxpayer-backed initiative is through the State Department and is expected to begin in October 2024 for at least one year, according to the records. It is aimed toward “50 religious leaders” because “they have the moral authority to call on people and businesses to consider the environmental impact of their activities, to reduce their carbon footprints and to find ways to cope with the growing impact of climate change,” the Daily Caller reported.
“The project intends to educate clerics and religious leaders of different faiths — including Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, etc. — in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa about climate change and to create awareness about its impact,” the State Department said in grant documents. “These clerics will serve as messengers, imparting the knowledge to congregations through Friday sermons, Sunday masses and other religious gatherings. By seamlessly integrating climate change education into religious discourse, the project will promote sustainable practices and a culture of environmental consciousness throughout KP.”
The grant is the latest example of the Biden administration’s sprawling green energy agenda across the world, which has included programs reported on by the Washington Examiner in countries such as Nepal and Morocco. Republicans have long argued these programs are a waste of taxpayer dollars — particularly amid record national debt and inflation.
The State Department, in grant documents, mentioned various religions for the program to be geared to, though 96% of Pakistanis are Muslim, according to the agency.
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“Religious leaders play influential roles in approving government initiatives and social norms,” the State Department said. “Credible and trustworthy, these clerics are respected opinion leaders and can play a larger role in effective outreach to combat climate change.”
The grant will eventually see one group earn the State Department-backed payout, according to documents.
