Public campaign on climate change

In 2006, the WCC began preparations for a campaign for a strengthened international agreement on climate change with a broad coalition of environmental groups and other partners. 2007 to 2009 are decisive years for climate change negotiations according to the analysis of all major environmental NGOs and the WCC working group on Climate Change. The Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change which is the scientific body of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change published in January 2007 underlines the urgency of the matter even stronger than previous publications. New data shows a more dramatic picture.

For this reason, there is great interest in a wide and strong coalition of NGOs, development agencies including specialized ministries, faith communities etc. highlighting the urgency of the issue and its impact on peoples lives in order to change governmental policies, business practices and life-styles of the affluent. More and more churches and specialized ministries are also becoming involved, creating new desks on climate change and ready to embark on the campaign. There is great need for communication and co-operation among these partners.

Speech recorded by Dr. Pachauri, Nobel prize for peace 2007, for the Round Table of the World Council of Churches, Geneva, May 2008. Dr Pachauri is chairman at IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).