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04/14/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/14/2026 03:24

The Burke Lectureship Welcomes Bill McKibben: Climate, Faith, and Collective Responsibility

Published Date

April 14, 2026

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For more than three decades, author and activist Bill McKibben has been one of the most influential voices shaping public understanding of climate change.

His 1989 book "The End of Nature" was among the first to bring climate change out of scientific journals and into public consciousness. Since then, he has helped build the modern climate movement by founding 350.org to advance the fossil fuel divestment movement, and more recently, launching Third Act, which mobilizes people over 60 to take action on climate change and safeguard democracy.

On Apr. 23, 2026, UC San Diego's Division of Extended Studies welcomes McKibben to Jeannie Auditorium as part of the Eugene M. Burke C.S.P. Lectureship on Religion and Society.

Moderated by Marco Werman, host and senior editor of The World and UC San Diego Journalist in Residence, the discussion promises to explore how faith traditions, civic institutions and grassroots movements can help shape a more sustainable and just future.

To preview the night and give us some insight into what's currently on his mind, McKibben responded to a set of written questions for this article.

From individual action to collective power

Perhaps what makes McKibben especially relevant right now isn't just his longevity, but his clarity about the moment we're in and the movement-building mindset he brings to addressing it.

One of the most compelling extensions of his work in recent years is Third Act, an initiative focused on mobilizing Americans over the age of 60 to take action on climate change and democracy. The idea is rooted in the premise that older generation Americans are often uniquely positioned to help drive large-scale change. They are likely to have more time, financial resources, civic connections and professional experience at their disposal that can be put to work for valuable causes.

Rather than stepping back, McKibben encourages people in their "third act" of life to step forward, using their voices, networks and influence to advocate for a more sustainable and just future.

The concept also reflects a broader theme in McKibben's work: that meaningful climate action is less about individual lifestyle tweaks and more about collective power.

"The most important thing an individual can do is to be less of an individual," McKibben shared in written response to our questions. "It's to join together with others in movements large enough to change the ground rules. That's why we build organizations like Third Act-to make that coming together easier."

By organizing communities, supporting grassroots campaigns and engaging directly with political and financial systems, movements are better able to channel concern into coordinated action. It creates a pathway for people who may feel overwhelmed or sidelined by the scale of the crisis to find agency in community.

The most important thing an individual can do is to be less of an individual. It's to join together with others in movements large enough to change the ground rules. That's why we build organizations like Third Act-to make that coming together easier. Climate movement author and activist Bill McKibben

Climate change as a moral and spiritual question

Another defining aspect of McKibben's work and leadership is how he frames climate change as a moral and spiritual question.

Though not a clergy member or formal religious leader, he identifies as a Methodist Christian and has frequently drawn on religious language and traditions to frame climate change as an ethical and communal responsibility.

In his writing and public speaking, McKibben often references themes like stewardship of the Earth, care for future generations and moral accountability, ideas rooted in both Christian scripture and broader humanistic values.

McKibben's groundbreaking 1989 book argued humanity's impact, particularly through the greenhouse effect, had fundamentally altered the planet.

"It would help if we had an Old Testament commitment to stewarding creation and a New Testament commitment to loving our neighbors," he said in response to a question about moral frameworks for the climate movement. This draws on the biblical ideas that humans are entrusted with caring for the Earth, while also extending compassion to others, especially those who will be most vulnerable to climate change's impacts.

Yet faith and Christian values are not the only frameworks he points to. When asked about other guiding principles, he emphasized the importance of science:

"A shared commitment to the framework of science-which I think is a moral framework-would surely help," he wrote. "We simply have to be willing to accept physics and chemistry as real even when they point us places we'd prefer not to go, like away from fossil fuels."

For Andrew Waltz, Director of Arts Management for UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, this integration of faith, identity and activism is part of what makes McKibben such a compelling choice and representative thought leader for the Burke Lectureship.

"Bill McKibben's religious identity is deeply interwoven with the practical and moral frameworks he advances," said Waltz. "That integration of faith and action, particularly in how it shapes his civic engagement and broader social efforts, makes him a natural and compelling choice for the Burke Lectureship."

Institutions, responsibility and pressure

As part of McKibben's argument for climate action, he emphasizes the responsibility of institutions such as universities, faith communities and businesses to act as "wise leaders," particularly because they are among the few entities capable of thinking beyond short-term incentives.

"All these institutions have, at least theoretically, some kind of longer-term vision. That's what we need to employ right now," he wrote.

Yet institutions don't always act. Financial interests and competing priorities can hold them back. In those instances responsibility shifts to citizens and communities to force their hands.

"We have to build movements to make them move," he wrote. "No one should have to be a 'climate activist.' Common sense should be orienting our institutions in the right direction. But when money overrides common sense for our leaders, then we have to try to push our institutions."

Where there is real momentum

McKibben continues to emphasize that there are still real possibilities for action, and that we are at a pivotal moment in determining what comes next.

"We have possibilities we didn't have even a few years ago," he wrote. "My hope is that we'll seize them!"

One of the strongest sources of encouragement he points to is the rapid drop in the cost of renewable energy. For decades, the biggest barriers haven't been awareness, but rather, feasibility and financial incentives. As solar and wind energy become more affordable, large-scale change becomes increasingly within reach.

"The rapid fall in the price of clean energy means that we finally have a tool to start dislodging fossil fuel from its central place in our economy," he wrote. "If we can't do that we have no hope-and as long as sun and wind were more expensive, we couldn't get societies to budge. But now things are freeing up a bit."

At the same time, he also emphasizes the urgency of the moment and how that should remain a powerful motivator.

"[Climate change] is happening very fast, and in real time," he shared. "People genuinely don't understand that things we take for granted-the operation of, say, the jet stream or the Gulf Stream-are now in serious question."

[Climate change] is happening very fast, and in real time. People genuinely don't understand that the things we take for granted--the operation of, say, the jet stream or the Gulf Stream--are now in serious question. Bill McKibben

The bigger invitation

McKibben's appearance at UC San Diego offers something increasingly rare: a chance to grapple seriously, together, with one of the most consequential challenges of our time.

In a time when the world feels increasingly fragmented, polarized, and overwhelming, simply coming together in person becomes meaningful. It creates space not just to absorb information, but to reflect, connect and engage with others around shared questions and concerns.

"The Burke Lectureship brings people into a shared civic space at a time when that feels increasingly rare," said Waltz. "It functions as a moral forum, encouraging us to reflect not only on our values, but also on the social and institutional forces shaping our collective experience. It creates an opportunity to examine those questions together in community and to better understand our role within them."

And if McKibben's work points toward collective action, the Burke Lectureship offers a place to begin putting that idea into practice. It creates a civic and moral space where the shift from individual concern to collective engagement can begin.>

"These programs are free and open to the public," said Waltz, "underscoring the commitment to making lifelong learning accessible and relevant to the communities the division and university serve. At their best, they create points of connection where individuals can engage with new ideas, connect across perspectives and participate in the kind of shared inquiry that strengthens both community and civic life."

At a time when the challenges are collective, the response must be as well. And sometimes, that begins with something simple: showing up, listening and stepping into the conversation together.

The Burke Lectureship Public Lecture: Climate, Faith, and Responsibility with Bill McKibben is free and open to the public. Register to attend on the website.

UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on April 14, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 14, 2026 at 09:24 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]