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Organized by the Society for Global Flourishing, together with World Vision International, Harvard University, the Institute for Global Human Flourishing at Baylor University, Gallup, and others, the conference aimed to advance a global framework for child hope and flourishing, grounded in research and lived experience.
Among the topics was aligning philanthropic investment with high-impact, scalable solutions.
WCC senior programme lead for Children and Climate Frédérique Seidel shared an update about the WCC's Hope for Children initiative. Sharing the Hope for Children handbook, she explained that the initiative was catalyzed by children and youth who urged the WCC to make climate justice one of the pillars of the Churches’ Commitments to Children programme.
Almost every child is now exposed to at least one climate or environmental hazard, according to UNICEF. According to WHO, 88% of climate-change-related disease falls on children under five. The Lancet journal estimated that over 75% of children are suffering from eco-anxiety.
Meanwhile, fossil fuel financing reached US$6.9 trillion since the adoption of the Paris Agreement.
“It became pretty clear that the advocacy route was not sufficient,” said Seidel. “We therefore have moved into climate litigation and are now equipping churches to hold accountable those who do the opposite of what is needed for a livable future.”
For churches that don’t know the legal landscape, it’s changing, said Seidel, from an International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on climate to a breaking complaint from churches in Colombia, the UK, and Ireland against a bank for financing a coal mine in Colombia.
“I am very much encouraging every organization that cares about children to use that powerful level of engaging with your bank,” she said.
Learn more about Churches’ Commitments to Children and Climate-Responsible Banking
