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Climate change and water: caring for creation

Climate change affects people all around the world, but violent storms, droughts, floods and rising sea levels have especially devastating consequences on poor and thus more vulnerable communities. Climate change also aggravates the water crisis increasingly felt in many places around the world. This situation requires a response that goes far beyond the targets of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change. 

This project holds together the concerns for climate change and water, thus emphasizing the links between ecological and social concerns, emergencies and development, global threats and local experiences, local engagement and national and international advocacy.  

The project includes an Ecumenical Water Network (EWN) that focuses on the right to water and community-based initiatives, and a study on energy supply and production (including a link to security concerns). There will be two yearly EWN regional meetings and an annual summer school on water bringing together young people with church representatives, scientists, artists and activists. 

For the Ecumenical Water Network, the project will accompany regional processes and engage in advocacy for the right to water. Youth will be engaged with church representatives, scientists, artists and activists to explore the sacred and life-giving dimensions of water. 

The project will participate with other networks in a public campaign to strengthen the post-Kyoto mandate of states to control the impact of global warming through setting emission targets and processes to achieve them. This includes yearly participation in appropriate UN bodies and the facilitation of dialogues towards an inter-faith statement on water and climate change.

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  • 11.02.10

    Ecumenical Water Network delves into "Holy Waters" during Lent

    "Holy Waters" is the theme of this year's Lenten reflections provided by the Ecumenical Water Network (EWN). Starting on Monday 15 February the weekly reflections will explore the connection between...

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  • 23.12.09

    Tribute to Prof. Charles Birch (1918 - 2009)

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Related events

  • 15.02.10 - 04.04.10 Seven Weeks for Water 2010: Holy Water Worldwide

    "Holy Water – Water, worship and prayer" is the theme of this year’s Lenten reflections provided by the Ecumenical Water Network based at the World Council of Churches in Geneva.

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Related documents

Minute on global warming and climate change

This minute was one of seven public issues statements adopted by central committee during its meetings 13-20 February in Geneva.

"This far and no further: Act fast and act now!"

Statement from the World Council of Churches (WCC) to the High-Level Ministerial Segment of the UN framework conference on climate change in Bali (COP13/CMP3)

Statement on "Water for life"

The following report was presented to and received by the WCC's 9th Assembly (February 2006). Its resolutions were proposed by the Public Issues Committee and approved by the Assembly through consensus.

Waters of life: an invitation to participate in the Ecumenical Water Network

This text was agreed by a working group on Water at a WCC consultation at Mission 21, Basel from 9-13 May, 2005.

Related publications

Climate Change and the World Council of Churches

Background information (November 2008): This dossier summarizes the work the WCC has been doing in relationship to climate change and includes some of the recent documents of the WCC and Christian churches in relation to the topic.

Climate change

This booklet published in 2005 is a collection of contributions by WCC working group on climate change coordinator Dr David Hallman and other key texts developed by the group.

Sustainability and Globalization

Julio de Santa Ana - The essays touch on the Bible, the world, and the universal church. Biblical studies read several passages of scripture in the light of the contemporary tensions and realities of globalization; essays deal with such key global challenges as climate change, biological diversity and economic development; and theological reflections focus on the tensions between globalization and sustainability.