Hope & Joy Series: The Moral Injury of Climate Activism Theory and Practice for Restoration, Resilience, and Rejuvenation

As part of our Hope & Joy Series, Martin Wagner—climate justice lawyer and interfaith chaplain—explores how understanding the science of moral injury can help activists restore resilience, reconnect with joy, and sustain their work in the face of the climate crisis.

For decades, Martin worked on the frontlines of environmental and human rights advocacy, including 28 years as the creator and managing attorney of Earthjustice’s International Program. Through this work, he witnessed firsthand the deep personal costs that can come with facing the climate crisis head-on: burnout, grief, cynicism, and despair.

Now serving as an interfaith chaplain to activists and movements, Martin draws on his lived experience, spiritual grounding, and his longtime friendship with author and scholar Joanna Macy to support healing and resilience. His work is rooted in the understanding that emotional numbing and avoidance—though natural—can distance us from our joy, purpose, and community.

In this session, Martin shared the science of moral injury in activism, and guided us through simple practices to help restore connection, courage, and collective wellbeing.