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The online event was organized with the support of the World Council of Churches (WCC) as part of the activities of this year’s edition of the Season of Creation, which runs from 1 September, the Day of Prayer for Creation, to 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
WCC moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm opened the webinar with a prayer that included a lament on the destruction of the natural environment.
“We ask for the courage to consider our part in looking at these human-caused ecological catastrophes—and repent,” he prayed. “God, give us strength to persist in our struggle. Give us love so we do not become harsh and bitter. Give us joy so we celebrate the beauty of your creation."
Foday Bangura, a WCC youth climate consultant from Sierra Leone, shared statistics on the production, investment, and use of fossil fuels.
“It is my honor to be speaking from my generation of young people,” he said. “The impact of climate change is extensive and multifaceted, and is impacting various aspects of our lives.”
He shared the example of extreme heat in Africa. “Because of the climate crisis, it is rising and it is beyond what it is supposed to be,” he said, noting that fossil fuel use is again on the rise.
“It’s close to pre-pandemic levels which indicates there is still strong production and use,” he noted.
He ended his presentation with a “letter to humanity” about his future. “My country is one of the least-developed countries,” the letter read. “It is also one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world.”
The letter urged parents, guardians, and everyone else to bank responsibly, “making sure your money is not used to expand fossil fuel projects.”
The letter adds: “Climate responsible banking is an easier, more reliable, and efficient way to reduce emissions.”
The theme of the 2024 Season of Creation, “Hope and Act with Creation”, has a special focus on fossil fuel non-proliferation as advocacy action for churches.
Tzeporah Berman, chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, shared an analogy she often uses in her writings: that fighting climate change is like staring into the sun.
“We look at it—and then we look away,” she said. “Our job in part is to hold that, to hold it every day in order to support those who are experiencing climate impacts around the planet.”
