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.

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

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.

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.

 
Related activities
Public campaign on climate change
This activity will highlight the urgency of the issue of climate change and its impact on peoples lives in order to change governmental policies, business practices and life-styles.
Ecumenical Water Network (EWN)
The Ecumenical Water Network is an initiative of Christian churches, organizations, and movements who have joined hands.