It all depends on the political system at a place when analyzing this statement. If it happens to be a high religious-based government, which follows religious doctrines to create and implement public policies, religion will be supporting. If it is a laic government, based on rationale and laws that do not follow any specific religion, but general concepts of human rights, religion can be seen undermining. For example, homosexuals have been seen as second class citizens and even illegal in some countries high a high religious-political system, whereas just normal citizens in areligious ones.
A short term environment change would be drought, smog, volcanic eruptions, and blizzards. All because it only last for a small period of time and it can affect the way certain species will have to adapt to certain environments.
