One Earth Initiative

One Earth Initiative Image

The One Earth Initiative fosters social and environmental justice in light of Laudato si.

  • Pope Francis issued Laudato si in 2015, urging all people to care for our common home through "integral ecology"  — a holistic approach to complex and interrelated ecological and social problems. 
  • The Vatican launched the Laudato si Action Platform in 2021, calling all Catholic institutions to embody Laudato si' principles. The global Laudato si' university working group has created a 7-year pathway.
  • In 2021, President Paul Fitzgerald, SJ was one of the first Jesuit university presidents to commit to developing an action plan. 
  • Under the leadership of the Provost and Chief Mission Officer, USF convened the OEI working group that included faculty, librarians, administrators, staff, and students. 
  • After a collaborative three-year process, the working group drafted USF’s Laudato si Action Plan.  


The One Earth Initiative Action Plan identifies four priorities: 

  • Ecological Spirituality and Culture
  • Education and Student Experience
  • Facilities and Infrastructure 
  • Institutional Mechanisms for Supporting Environmental Sustainability Initiatives

For more information or to get involved, contact the One Earth Initiative (OEI) co-chairs Erin Brigham and Alice Kaswan.