What Does God Have To Do With Elephants, Whales, and Polar Bears?

What does faith have to do with the survival of elephants, whales, and polar bears? In this talk delivered at the United Nations Environment Assembly, Rabbi Yonatan Neril explores the deep connections between religious teachings and the urgent challenges facing the world’s wildlife. He examines how sacred texts and faith traditions frame humanity’s responsibility toward animals and the natural world, and argues that spiritual values — not just policy and science — have a critical role to play in conservation efforts. From vanishing habitats to species under threat from climate change and human activity, Rabbi Neril makes the case that protecting God’s creation is as much a moral and spiritual obligation as it is an environmental one. For those curious to explore this theme further, a companion video looks at giraffes and their own unique relationship to faith-based conservation.