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protesters at COP28 in Dubai, UAE

'Stop the wars, stop the warming,' reads a sign as people gather at the United Nations climate summit COP28 for an advocacy action undertaken by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) to highlight the issue of militarism in relation to CO2 emmissions and the climate crisis. 

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Dr Louk Andrianos, WCC consultant on care for creation, sustainability, and climate justice, was one of 13 lecturers who shared their expertise with 20 students from Europe, Africa, and Ukraine. Andrianos' lecture, “Ecological Justice Must Be a Compelling Matter to Stop War: Steering Human Greed to Oikocentrism,” emphasized the connection between ecological justice and peace. 

He stated, “In addition to human rights protection, Christian faith should be against war for ecological justice locally and globally.”

Andrianos concluded his lecture by sharing the 2024 WCC Statement on Biodiversity for COP16 and Climate COP29, and urged support for initiatives like the Ecocide Law, the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the Season of Creation ecumenical movement.

The event featured a series of lectures and discussions examining the environmental crisis resulting from Russia's military actions against Ukraine. Participants analyzed intentional and unintentional ecocides and explored post-conflict environmental restoration strategies.

Rev. Dr Fr Roman Fihas, director of the Ukrainian Catholic University Institute of Ecumenical Studies, remarked, “We plan to analyze the causes and consequences of the environmental crisis that arose as a result of Russia’s large-scale military aggression against Ukraine. We will learn to distinguish between intentional crimes of ecocide and unintentional ones. We will try to outline the prospects of environmental restoration after the end of the war by studying the experience of other countries and regions.”

The summer school addressed themes such as the role of international law in preventing ecocide, the value of nature, and the impact of war on the environment. The program concluded with a seminar, during which students presented essays reflecting on their learnings and proposing solutions for ecological and political challenges.

For more information, please visit the Institute of Ecumenical Studies website at IES UCU.