2 September 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany: Climate protest at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, held in Karlsruhe, Germany from 31 August to 8 September, under the theme "Christ's Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity."

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Care for creation and climate justice

Care for creation and justice are at the centre of WCC work on climate change. The Bible teaches the wholeness of creation and calls human beings to take care of the garden of Eden (Gen 2:15).

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Care for creation and justice are at the centre of WCC work on climate change. The Bible teaches the wholeness of creation and calls human beings to take care of the garden of Eden (Gen 2:15). The God of the Bible is a God of justice who protects, loves and cares for the most vulnerable among his creatures.

The present world development model is threatening the lives and livelihoods of many, especially among the world's poorest people, and destroying biodiversity. The ecumenical vision is to overcome this model based on over-consumption and greed.

Since the 1970s, the WCC has helped develop the concept of sustainable communities. Since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted in 1992, the WCC has been present at all UN climate change conferences.

Over the years, the WCC helped foster a movement for climate justice touching millions of people around the world.

It's time for climate justice. When creation is threatened, churches and Christians are called to speak out and act as an expression of their commitment to life, justice and love.

The Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on 1.5°C warming indicates that we are well on our way to passing the relatively safe limit of 1.5°C warming and stresses that only with “rapid and far-reaching” transitions in the world economy, on a scale and at a rate without historical precedent, can we keep under this target. It estimates that the necessary transformations must take place within a rapidly disappearing window of opportunity, perhaps within as little as a decade, if we are to avoid catastrophic impacts of climate change.

Against this background the WCC relentlessly advocates for climate justice at the annual Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change as well as in other fora. 

WCC Central Committee and Executive Committee statements on climate justice:

Statement on COP 24 and a Just Transition to a Sustainable Economy

Statement on the Amazon Under Threat

Statement on Climate Justice

Statement on the US Government’s Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change

Statement on COP 21


WCC statements on behalf of faith groups at the high-level segments of the UNFCCC COPs:

Climate Justice is at the Heart of Just Transitions

To Bonn and Beyond: Act Now with Justice and Peace

The Bond between Decision and Action

We have Hope and the Right to Hope

 

Other resources:

Interfaith Reflections on Just Transitions: Linking Climate and Economic Justice

WCC General Secretary Statement on the Report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Final Message of the WCC Conference on Just Peace with the Earth

WCC General Secretary Advent Message on the Eve of COP 21

WCC 10thAssembly Minute on Climate Justice 

Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I proclaimed 1 September as a day of prayer for creation for the Orthodox in 1989. In fact, the Orthodox church year starts on that day with a commemoration of how God created the world.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) was instrumental in making the special time a season, extending the celebration from 1 September until 4 October.

Following the leadership of Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I and the WCC, Christians worldwide have embraced the season as part of their annual calendar. Pope Francis made the Roman Catholic Church’s warm welcoming of the season official in 2015.

In recent years, statements from religious leaders around the world have also encouraged the faithful to take time to care for creation during the month-long celebration.

The season starts 1 September, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology beloved by many Christian denominations.

Throughout the month-long celebration, the world’s 2.2 billion Christians come together to care for our common home.

Activities and resources to celebrate the Season of Creation are supported by an ecumenical steering committee and a coalition of partners from around the world.

Season of Creation website

The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 30 November - 12 December. This significant global event is bringing together leaders, policymakers, scientists, and advocates worldwide to address the pressing issues of climate change and chart a path toward a sustainable and resilient future.  

Following up on a long history of engagement on climate justice in UN climate conferences, the participation of the WCC delegation at COP28, led by WCC general secretary Rev. Prof Dr Jerry Pillay, and formed by representatives of WCC member churches, and WCC staff members, is also an opportunity for WCC to express its concerns about the climate emergency, raising its prophetic voice and bringing to light good practices and strong testimonies from voices of the ecumenical fellowship. Equally important is the opportunity to add spiritual dimensions to the topic and underline the need for scientific and religious aspects to cope with climate change and promote climate justice.

WCC agenda at COP28

Events with involvement of the WCC and ecumenical partners at the COP28 conference

COP28 News
WCC documents and resources on climate change

Joint Report of the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group and the Working Group on Climate Change of the World Council of Churches

This joint report emphasises the work of the World Council of Churches’ (WCC) Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group and the Working Group on Climate Change. It affirms that Indigenous perspectives are crucial not only for addressing the burgeoning climate emergency but also for navigating the way forward to a hopeful post-COVID, post-growth and post-fossil fuel future and calls on the WCC to address this at the 11th WCC Assembly and relevant preassemblies.

WCC Programmes
Resources from the previous COPs

Faith and Science: An Appeal for COP26

On 4 October 2021, faith leaders representing the world’s major religions joined scientists at the Vatican to call on the international community to raise their ambition and step up their climate action ahead of COP26. Almost 40 faith leaders signed a joint Appeal, which was presented by Pope Francis to COP26 President-Designate, the Rt Hon Alok Sharma, and the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Luigi Di Maio.

Ecumenical movement

WCC, WCRC, LWF, CWM letter to G20 finance ministers (July 2020)

The World Council of Churches (WCC), World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Council for World Mission (CWM), have followed with profound concern how the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic crisis have continued to destroy lives and livelihood around the world. To date this has resulted in more than half a million deaths, massive unemployment, increase of debts, poverty, and inequality in many parts of the world.

General Secretary
WCC agenda at COP28

30 November
15:00 - 20:00: Interfaith Talanoa Dialogue
Location: Christ Church Jebel Ali and online
Organizers: WCC and other members of the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UNFCCC
- WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay speaking in the panel on the role of faith communities at the COP and contributing to interfaith service; Rev Chebon Kernell (WCC CCIA member) speaking in the panel from an Indigenous perspective.

1 December
11:30 - 12:30 Contribution of faith-based organizations to building climate resilience and adaptation - youth-led climate action
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC, LWF, AACC and Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU)
-Julia Rensberg, Church of Sweden, WCC central committee member, and member of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development speaking as an Indigenous youth.

12:00 - 13:00 Faith - The missing piece in climate discussions and for climate action
Location: UNFCCC Action Lab, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: UNFCCC Secretariat and ILC
- Speakers include WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and Rev. Einar Tjelle, Church of Norway.

2 December
14:30 - 15:30 Faiths for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC and GreenFaith
- Rev. James Bhagwan, general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches and member of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs speaking.

15:30 - 17:00 Ecumenical Service on COP28
Location: Christ Church Jebel Ali
Organizers: WCC, MECC and Anglican Communion
- Sermon by WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. Special greetings by Dr Michel Abs, general secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches.

3 December
09:00 - 09:30 Spiritual moment
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC and GreenFaith
- WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay will lead the prayer. Rev. Chebon Kernell, member of the WCC's Commission of the Churches on International Affairs and Joy Kennedy, United Church of Canada, also contributing.

10:30 - 11:30 Interfaith Feminist Climate Justice for the Human Right to a Healthy Society and Environment
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC and Green Hope Foundation

(time to be confirmed) Reaching the Last Mile
Location: COP28 Green Zone
- Ellyanne Chlystun-Githae Wanjiku (WCC Churches' Commitment to Children ambassador) speaking. Hosted within the COP28 Health Day.

4 December
10:30 - 11:30 Intersection of Financing, Ethics, Human Rights and Climate Justice: Vital Role of Faith Actors
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: AACC and ChristianAid

13:30 - 14:00 ILC Press Conference: Interfaith Talanoa Dialogue on COP28
Location: Press Conference Room 2 Zone B6 building 77
Organizers: WCC and other members of the ILC
- Rev. Chebon Kernell, member of the WCC's Commission of the Churches on International Affairs speaking.

5 December
17:00 - 18:15 The human face of climate change: Why life-saving malaria programmes are at risk
Location to be confirmed
Organizers: WHO
- Ellyanne Chlystun-Githae Wanjiku (WCC Churches' Commitment to Children ambassador) speaking for Christian children with David Beckham.

6 December
15:00 - 16:30 Side-event: Bottom up and systemic approaches from faith and affected communities for just transitions
Location: SE Room 7, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC, Anglican Communion, SAFCEI, and Episcopal Church USA
- Speakers include Julia Rensberg, Church of Sweden, member of the WCC central committee and member of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, and Rev. James Bhagwan, general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches and member of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs.

7 December
19:00 - 20:00 Ecumenical Update from the UN Climate Summit
Location: online (register here)
Organizers: WCC, ACT Alliance and LWF

8 December
10:00 - 11:00 Side-event: From Most Vulnerable to Most Valuable
Location: COP 28 Green Zone
Organizers: UNICEF

14:30 - 15:00 ILC Press Conference: Voices of faith call for justice in COP28 decisions
Location: Press Conference Room 2 Zone B6 building 77
Organizers: WCC and other members of the ILC
- Rev. Tamsyn Kereopa, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (WCC accredited delegate) speaking. Faith Sebwa (WCC accredited delegate) potentially speaking.

15:30 - 17:00 Amplifying the voice of smallholder farmers in shaping Adaptation Policy: A Faith Based Response
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: Organization of African Instituted Churches
- Rev Nicta Lubaale (WCC accredited delegate) speaking.

9 December
15:00 - 16:30 Side-event: Faith communities and resilient frontliners responding to the nexus of food, water and climate change
Location: SE Room 3, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC-EAA, Center for Food Safety, Local Environment Development and Agricultural Research Society (LEDARS), and International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS)

10 December
12:30 - 13:30 Faith communities have a moral imperative to address water-food-climate justice
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC-EAA and Anglican Communion
- Speakers include Archbishop Julio Murray, moderator of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, and Jocabed Solano, WCC Indigenous Peoples' Reference Group member.

Let's not lose sight of the reality of climate chaos.

Climate change isn't an abstract notion for the millions of people who have already suffered its effects through droughts, floods, hurricanes, wild fires, the failure of agriculture and the destruction of infrastructure.

Media discussions are tending to focus on peripheral details of the negotiations and negotiators and it is easy to forget what climate change is about for ordinary people around the world, particularly the poorest.

"These images remind us of the devastating impacts of climate change, and how dangerous it is for all of us if we don't act now. Let's not lose sight of the reality of climate chaos. We call on negotiators to agree on urgent and concrete actions to curb Greenhouse Gas emissions" said James Bhagwan, Gen. Sec. of the Pacific Conference of Churches.

All images are available for media use courtesy of the World Council of Churches. Please credit images as: Sean Hawkey/WCC

For comment or interviews at COP26 in Glasgow, please email [email protected]

World Council of Churches coverage of COP26 can be found at www.oikoumene.org/cop26

Click here to access high definition photos of the full exhibition (download password: WCC).

The photos are free for use only on publications related to COP26.